Paying It Backwards: Wisdom from Previous Student Teachers
At the end of their student teaching last spring, students were asked to share some of what they learned about the process with those that are following in their footsteps, i.e. YOU. There is a good bit of wisdom here. I would encourage you to read their messages closely and make some notes to yourselves about how you want to engage in your Fall coursework. Next Spring, I will ask you to pass some of what you have learned backwards as well. - fogleman
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
The 2 main things that I would inform them, is:
1. Really work on their lesson plans and how to use time within a class period. At first it was difficult for me to plan the 77 minute block schedule because I was used to 40-50 minute periods. I would sometime end much earlier than expected, so I would say to always OVER prepare and have more material than you think you could cover. This way, if things move along quite fast, you aren't left with nothing to do for the rest of the day, which helps out classroom management as well. If they are busy, there is less chance of them to act up.
2. Another thing I would advise is to really work on classroom managemnet strategies. It is one thing to learn about them, then a complete other thing to implement it!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I would say to prepare your unit plan thoughtfully and carefully! It is a great time saver when you are actually teaching, and an oppurtunity to prepare a great unit that you could get feedback on as well before you teach.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Really worked on classroom managent skills more. You could be very skilled in your content area, but can't get that across to the students if you can't control them!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
I would say to make sure not to be their friend. It is so easy to get caught up in the whole concept of having your students like you, but this could lead to poor classroom management and the students feeling like they can get away with things they normally wouldn't. You could always start strict then loosen up, but it is much much much more difficult to start nice and easy going then try to get stricter. Often, they don't take you being strict seriously after being easy going for so long!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Some things that are incredibly beneficial to prepare for student teaching is to get to know their upcoming Cooperating Teacher. Establish lines of communication and ask them what is and what will be expected of them when they start teaching in their classrooms. Also, they should ask if they can jump in and help their CTs with classroom activities. Though it is called an 'observational period' at the school they will be teaching at they should make sure that they are proactive and dive in! There is nothing worse than feeling lost on those first couple days of actually taking over the classroom...In short- get comfortable with the kids, try to learn their names and behaviors.
A message to incoming students:
Do your work in the fall. "Methods" is a pretty rigorous course, but student teaching is even "harder" if you will. There are times that you are beyond thinking and your mind begins to run on it's own because you feel as though you can participate no longer. Get into the good habit of getting your work done efficiently and on time. This will prepare you for the organizational skills you will need to become a teacher. Time management is key, being proactive is key, and never giving in to that feeling of exasperation and/or exhaustion is key!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Some assignments that students must know what is precisely expected of them are the 'learning goals' and lesson plans they must create for the MAJOR unit plan. I would have to say that the unit plan completely overpowers all other assignments as there are so many parts to it. However, with persistence it can be done! I worked close to 40 hours on mine and I feel that I came out on top. However, most students, including myself, have never been expected to work that hard on any project in their entire academic career. So with that said, students should make sure to ask questions, ask questions and ask even more questions when it comes to these assignments that are a huge component of their learning about education and preparation for student teaching!
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had been a little less 'shy' with the older students. When I first began student teaching at the high school level I was a little shy- because let's face it, I am not much older than these kids and I have a complex about being short and looking about 6 years younger than my actual age. I felt like they weren't going to take me seriously. However, after awhile I realized that they did in fact take me very seriously and there was no need to feel shy or intimidated. I kind of wish that I could go back and be the confident self that I am now.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
By this point students have already gone through most of their classes, gotten into the school of Ed. and more than likely passed their praxis exams. So...with all of those accomplishments a congratulations is in order. Teaching is one of the hardest fields to get into, to work in, and knowing that it usually goes unnoticed by many people as being one of the most important jobs in the world. However, as future teachers...know that what you are going to be doing IS one of hardest and fulfilling jobs and that it doesn't matter if parents thank you or the state gives you extra money for your successes as long as you realize that you are educating young minds that will someday be our future. So if you ever feel that you're not making a huge difference in this world, think again- you are doing more than any CEO of Mercedes or Director of ESPN. Keep up the good work and remember that as a teacher you must model everything and continue to be a lifelong learner.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
I found that knowing my CT's routine and incorporating it into my instruction helped me out in the spring because the students react better when you make your routine somewhat like the teacher's. It was also helpful teaching as few lessons to the classes before student teaching. Even if they were short mini lessons it gets you comfortable in front of the students and it also gets the students comfortable with you teaching because they start to get used to you being front and center in to the class.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think being organized with lesson planning was key to being prepared for student teaching. Also, creating your unit plan on the topics you are going to teach is really helpful because you have all of your sheets and ideas planned out and all they need is a little tweaking. It becomes a lot harder when having to start everything from scratch.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Made my unit plan on a topic that i was going to be teaching during my student teaching.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
If I could go back and do it over again I would definitely pay more attention to detail during my fall practicum. I would address the ideas of which kids seem to have problems and what they are. I would have tried to figure out good ways to deal with kids like these early rather then while I'm teaching. Being well prepared helped quite a bit. I felt much more prepared for my middle school assignment then my high school and although both ended up being good experiences I feel like the middle school went much smoother. It took longer for me to feel comfortable in the high school class.
Make sure to pick your CT's brain early find out what they do and how they run the ship. The kids react much better if you don't change much because they are use to a routine.
Try and learn as many names as you can because the more you know early the easier it is. They react much better if you know their name.
Get all the class lists and scheduling and materials you need. Anticipate what you will need. I found that having a different folder for each period really helps with correcting. As soon as the period is over I grab whatever work they have passed in and stick in the folder. Once its corrected it comes right back out of the folder to them. This way no work gets lost in the shuffle and your pile of correcting doesn't get out of control.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
UNIT PLAN!!!!!!! This assignment is sooooooo helpful because if you play it right you can use it in your class. I did my unit plan on what I was going to be teaching in the middle school and it made my life so much easier because I was never like "O man what am I moving on to next?!" Everything was laid out and planed it really took a lot of the stress off.
Learning goals - this topic is what runs RI schools. GSE's are extremely important and are going to be even more important next year because kids are being tested in science this year. Pay attention and learn as much as you can about them because believe me you will see them everywhere.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Been more prepared with classroom management. Be prepared to have to deal with students who aren't little angels because believe me your going to have a few. You have to be assertive and demand respect right away. I don't mean go in there yelling and be a dictator but don't try to be there friend because it doesn't work. Firm then friendly.
Most of the other teachers at schools want to help you, so just ask!
Your CT is there to help so learn everything you can from them!
There are definitely more things I have learned but to be honest I really can't think of them at this moment.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
BE PREPARED EVERYDAY NO MATTER WHAT!!!! EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOMETHING THE KIDS STILL COME AND THE SHOW MUST GO ON.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Make sure that you are very thorough in preparing your unit. The biggest problem is that you may feel that your unit is teachable, but once you begin teaching, you quickly realize that things need to be thought out and detailed even more.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The creation of the unit plan. If you have good lessons prepared ahead of time, you can minimize begining student teacher stress.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
...more practice dealing with classroom management. The actual teaching is not to difficult, but really learning how to control a room full of teenagers can only be learned through experience. Nothing we ever talked about in class prepared me.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Best of luck! Student teaching is just one of those things that you have to survive during the process, but then you look back at it in the end and say "man, I really did it!"
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Start learning student names during your observations - especially if you're getting a Middle Level Endorsement. About the time you learn all their names, you're leaving and going on to your second student-teaching placement. The students like to know that you know their name (most of the time!)
Ask your cooperating teacher for his/her syllabus and keep it in a safe place. You'll need it!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Topic: Classroom Management - there are alsways students who will have sidebar conversations - in oral, electronic or written form - while you're trying to concentrate on delivery of content. The bottom line is this: if they're not listening, it doesn't matter how well you deliver the material. (All the hours you spent preparing...)
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
over-planned classroom activities!"
You can always omit an activity if time runs out.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Remember that you are teaching kids and that they will make mistakes. Remember that you, too, are still learning, and will make mistakes.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Create a pattern for yourself in terms of being organized and always completing assignments (that are for the students) ahead of time. Also, establish a good line of communication immediately with your cooperating teacher.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Create a unit that you know for a fact you will be able to teach during your student teaching. Confirm all of the material in your unit way ahead of time with your cooperating teacher.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
established firm classroom rules during my first week of student teaching (in the high school).
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Definitely create and maintain a certain pattern in your teaching so that you and the students have a familiar way to go about learning each new concept. For example, start with the background knowledge (some notes), show video streams or models for reinforcement, then move on to students being actively engaged in learning (activities, group work etc). Finally, have review sessions and "Q & A" before any assessments. Also, always try to be creative in your ways of delivering information. Students really like to be physically involved (even if it's something like using colored pencils to draw illustrations for concepts being learned). Enjoy and have fun with it, it'll be a really special time in your life!
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Spend as much time in the classroom with your CT as you can. Find out if you two are compatible with each other or do you clash. If you clash I recommend asking for a new CT. One that will work with you and also one that your personality and styles don’t clash. If they clash your students teaching time will not be a fun one.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Get a list of what you will be teaching from your CT so you can make your unit plan for your student teaching. This is what I did and it made my first month extremely smooth. Just don’t make your unit plan make as many lesson plans and worksheets as possible the first semester. Then while your students teaching you can just fill in the blanks and modify the lessons instead of creating them from scratch.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Listen to Jay on my lesson plans and also spent more time in the classroom working with the students before I started teaching.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Keep your head up. Keep everything positive. As soon as you start seeing the glass as half empty everything will fall apart. Always remember the glass is half full.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
1. Get a routine set up for getting up, being prepared, getting meals ready, exercising! and even planning in free time to catch up on work or on things you neglect for yourself. Even in the school having a set routine ready (days to stay after, when is the best time for you to be able to get work done ect.) can help you transition into the patteren for your teaching. If you already know that its easiest for you to make a big meal sunday to have leftover for lunches all week, you can set it up to have it in the fridge packaged so all you have to do each morning is grab the next tupperware container all week long. Getting exercise in can be hard but fitting in 20 min a day (even if it is just to walk to hill to the night class!) then do it because being physically fit helps you handle things mentally too! Planning in the spare time gives you wiggle room if something doesn't go as planned or on the off chance everything goes perfect to enjoy some free time!
2. Tap your resources! If you know current teachers, or past teachers start talking to them now and keeping them up to date on how you are doing. When you feel stuck or have a problem you don't know how to handle, give these resources a call! Most of these people in and out of the school want to help you out! Meet and greet the teachers you will not only work with in a team or hallway setting, but also the ones you meet in the office or lounge! They are not out to get you and they know what it is like to teach.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I am not sure this assignment was great for my student teaching in particular but it is the one I found to overall help me. The teaching rationale made me think, about teaching and why I am doing it. By keeping this in mind while I was observing, aiding, teaching, and ultimately as I am applying for jobs I have a sense that I am doing the right thing for me. Selfish sounding but in knowing I am doing the right thing I have the confidence to feel I am doing a the best job I can with my students and fellow teachers. This idea of why I was teaching got me through some rough spots all semester teaching and learning. I feel it will also help me as I go out on interviews and job hunts too. While not as practacle sounding as 'do your unit plan!' I felt this helped me more. The lesson plan, while on a topic I was going to teach, went almost complately out the window after I had been teaching a few days! You never know what is going to happen but knowing why you are doing something can keep you going on and on.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
been more experienced handling such a large group of students at once on my own. I have worked with students and learners before but always in smaller groups or with other people. The management of such a large group can be frustrating but keeping your cool works well and knowing as many strategies as possible helps too. When one way failed I moved on to the next and kept on trying. Sometimes you need to have patience and stick to your guns! If you say you are going to give them a detention, or pop quiz if they continue bad behavior be prepared to really do it! If you don't you will end up in a hole you can't get out of. While I don't feel I had a hard time as a whole, there are a few students I really wish I could have reached better, and managed better than I have. While what I did worked I also feel that it didn't really get through to them.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Plan ahead! This way you have the next assignment/activity ready to go if you have extra time. If it takes you too long you can always skip somehting or add it in to another day but you always need extra material ready. I usually had at least one week planned, coppied, and materials organized so I could litterally walk along the desk and pick up the next thing to do. Having small assingments for anytime helps too! Little games/activities/ even bonus point assignments make for great fillers. I never felt overwhelmed when I got through a lesson too quick simeply because I knew I had something else I could pull out (to the students dismay usually!). While planning ahead does not protect you from everything it certailny helps you feel more relaxed and less stressed as the days go by.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Plan, Plan, Plan! I would recommend asking your CT if they have a schedule planned for the year. If so kindly request a copy of it. Then over winter break start writing lesson plans. Try to write as many as you can! you don't want to have to think about writting them while you are teaching. You want to think how you are going to modify them and make them better.
If you are having trouble at your placement, academic or behavioral get Moe or Jay in their A.S.A.P. They can give you information that will get you back on track with your class. This also keeps them informed of the challenges you are having and will look better if they understand what is going on during an evaluation.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
You should elaborate more on Formal and Informal Lesson Plans. I the students are going to complete a Unit Plan they should have to submit the one lesson plan a week or bi-weekly. This should keep them on schedule.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
"If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...." knew more classroom management skills / Tricks. This would have helped a lot. I would also work on getting passwords to school computers/ printers and any online grading systems. I often had to print a handout and went to a computer lab to only have 30 perfectly capable computers mok me because I did not have a password.
I hate to say it, but Hang Em' High A.S.A.P. You need to set an example quickly and follow through with your rules. Being a science teacher, you have the advantage of students thinking you're crazy to begin with. Keep up the act even if you are not. If they think you are a little off your rocker it can be to your advantage.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Congratulations you have served your time or will soon serve your time. For most I would say student teaching is one of the most difficult parts of your undergraduate degree. You will be getting up at about between 5:00 - 6:00am every morning for the next 14 weeks. I would recommend adjusting your sleep patterns during winter break to ease the transition. I would also try to get into an exercise routine that you can stick to. Exercise will help you throughout student teaching. It will relieve stress and make up for your lack of movement. Despite being on your feet all day you are not burning as many calories as you would like. I would also recommended a water bottle. Talking all day makes you very thirsty and you will not have time to drink as much water as you would like. The lucky thing about being in science is that we have sinks in our class to fill said water bottles up.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Pay special attention to your CT's routine during the fall observations before student teaching. If you know the routine CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT will go a lot smoother.
Have your lessons plans be thoroughly thought out, down to each detail of what you will say, what questions you might ask the students.This will prepare you for student teaching to make sure each objective is reached and understood by the students.
Make sure to have a copy of your CT's classroom management plan and know it like the back of your hand before student teaching. This can prevent students from taking advantage of you because you will already know what IS and IS NOT allowed during class time.
Always having the classroom management plan handy isn't a bad idea either because at least you will have something to refer to if you are unsure how to address a student's behavior. Better to take a few moments checking something out than ignoring a situation because you are usure what to do.
This is why it's important to pay CLOSE attention to how your CT addresses class and acts throughout down to every detail.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT- I can't say enough how important it is to know how to manage and prevent student misbehavior. Even the most well-planned lesson will go poorly, if the whole class time is spent trying to keep each student on task. Again, observe how your CT controls student behavior and keeps students on task, and take notes of this during the fall practicum before you have to go in and do it yourself.
UNIT PLAN/LESSON PLANS- Make all handouts, quizzes, simulations, etc. before student teaching. That way if you use your UNIT PLAN you will have them and you can focus on classroom management or if you don't use them they can be used by other teachers of for future lessons when you have your own class.
Unpacking the GSEs- When writing the lesson plans unpacking the GSEs that were going to be used for each lesson really gave me support in knowing that I wasn't just teaching the class whatever I felt like. At the beginning and ending of each class I would discuss the objectives, which were pieces of the GSE re-stated, so I felt confident I was teaching relevant knowledge, and the students knew the purpose of the lesson and how they were going to reach it. Even if the lesson plans from the fall Unit Plan aren't used, lots of practice in unpacking the standards helps in knowing how you are going to achieve a goal and teach a particular topic.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Been more analytical of my CT's daily routine
Memorized the classroom management plan
More than 7 weeks in each placement
Created fully written out daily lesson plans even if they weren't the ones from the UNIT PLAN during fall practicum
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
You WILL almost certainly have a bad day (if not several) but you must remember that these are the days where you learn the most from and improve because you will try harder not to repeat them!
Student teaching does NOT necessarily define the type of teacher you will be. If it was a bad experience then DO NOT give up. People should want to be teachers to improve students' learning experiences and giving up because of one bad experience is giving up on that chance to improve their lives.
BE FLEXIBLE, but NOT a doormat. Listen to your students' requests, but don't let them walk all over you, which is why it's super important to have a well-thought out classroom management plan. It must be fair to YOU and the STUDENTS.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Study your unit and know the inside and outside of the units. Break it into an outline or concept map and use that to help guide you for the spring.
Learn all students names during the observation period. Students respect you more if they know that you care enough to learn names. Observe your COOPERATING TEACHER, not the students. If you do not feel like you can embrace your cooperating teacher's methods in the classroom, consider getting a new CT. I spent much time observing students, but not too much observing my CT. It may be an easy way to avoid catastrophe in the spring.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Classroom management:
"Acting" is a good strategy to get students to listen to you. My CT advised me to pick a movie/TV star "stern/tough" personality and act their role in the classroom. Apparently, high school students actually fall for this trick and you can secretly have fun.
Communication between your CT:
Talk about specific ways to communicate with your CT, such as weekly meetings, summaries of their expectations, or any feedback that you can get from them.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
...Not smiled. Not laughed & been really tough the first two weeks of student teaching. I feel this might have been an easy way to conquer the first stages of good classroom management.
...not spent so much time self-analyzing and picking apart my lessons. Just teach. Just grade how you planned to grade. Just embrace what you did. There is always room for improvement next time. If I had spent that "nit-pick" time creating tests and quizzes I could have made my CT happier and had EVIDENCE of my hard work.
...spoken up and asked for a new CT when I felt like I was struggling to teach how my teacher wanted me to teach and I could not embrace it.
... had a weekly meeting with my CT to make sure communication was good.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
As a student, you will be required to do what your CT asks when it comes to teaching and assessments. If you can not embrace this, find a teacher with whom you can. Student teaching and collaborating with my CT is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Set things straight with your CT in the beginning. If surprises come up, address them address them address them immediately with all URI professors and CTs. Know that your CT has the power to voice their concerns to any person in authority, and so do you. Communication is KEY with your CT. Stick up for yourself if miscommunication does occur.
In student teaching, you are likely to fail 10,000 times, but for each failure, you will learn twice as much. Stay positive by loving your time spent with the students. The students are the reason why you are there. If all else fails, focus your efforts on providing them with the best instruction you can offer! You cannot loose sight of things if you stay focused on being the best teacher for your students you can be. You are their teacher and you have a teacher's responsibilities now, even if your CT gives the final say in instruction. Good luck and remember, even if your students see you as a teacher, you are not one yet. Most importantly, you are still the student and will be scaffolded in the ways your CT desires. Recognize your role and do what you can with it.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Learn strong organizational skills. The more organized you are the less time you will need to spend on it. Your CT will notice it, and will feel like you can handle the responsibility, and will give you more freedom. Save everything in your binder. My anal CT loves the fact that I can pull out the data from last years NECAP test results and show her where students had trouble answering certain questions. Build relationships with the students. It isn't your show yet, but you can at least make the students feel like they can relate to you, ask you questions, and think that you are a knowledgable and smart teacher whom they can go to.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The unit plan. This was a necessary overemphasis on writing and developing a unit plan, that will mirror what you will be doing in ST. Even though I look back at it now as a plan with parts that are very flawed and inconcievable, it was practice that was necessary for my development.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Been a little bit more organized, brought the hammer down on that one horrific class a little earlier, and didn't try to make a huge difference in a few kids with only 7 weeks of time to do it in.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
As much as you might want to be a teacher who wants to make an impact on students, 7 weeks is not enough time to do it in. Also, the behavioral issues of the students you will meet are a part of a system that was already in place before you walked into the door. Do not stress too much if your students are inconsiderate, and disrespectful. You will one day have your own classroom where you can have your own set of rules, do your own thing, and manage the classroom to your standards, not someone else's.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly? The most important preparation you can have is to know where you stand on things.By this I mean you need to set up some rules for classroom behavior and management.While you will likely follow your CT’s classroom rules, you still need to provide a structured set of rules that your students know you will follow.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching? The most important thing to pay attention to is management strategies, no one walks into a classroom and has it all figured out day one.If you can control your classroom however the other stuff all will develop smoothly.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...." Started all my classes by letting the students know my rules and expectations for classroom conduct.I was blessed in that I had two CT’s who liked to leave the room often this made my job more challenging yet the lessons learned where invaluable.I now realize that students will feel you out to find out how much they can get away with from day one and if you let it go they will just get worse searching for your “line.”So day one let them know where the line is and what happens if they cross it and the most important bit of advise is don’t ever threaten a punishment that you are not planning on implementing.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share? Relax while student teaching is just as much work as we make it sound it is also a lot of fun and the best learning experience you will ever be involved with.Student teaching is hard because it is worth it.Remember it is your CT’s classroom and while they are there your life will be easy but be sure to take risks if they never leave you alone in the room politely ask them to. When they do, you will see your job will be a little harder but the lessons learned will help you be a better teacher.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Obtain a syllabus/curriculum requirements for all of the classes you are going to be teaching and begin to both brush up on the content and construct lesson plans. Make the most of your observations, meaning get to know your students. This can feel a little intimidating at first but sitting in the corner observing and then taking over the class will spell certain doom for your first few weeks of classroom management.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Lesson plan strategies, classroom management strategies, tricks of the trade, and most importantly tips on how to deal with the anxiety/nerves.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Had more experience with classroom management and how to motivate students.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Like most secondary education student teachers I was very nervous and experienced considerable anxiety before beginning my student teaching. I feel that I was fortunate enough to not only land in a good school for a placement but to be assigned to a cooperating teacher who knew exactly what to do and say to alieviate my anxiety. In addition to that I began to learn some of the "tricks of the trade" and develop strategies that helped further my understanding of what being a good science teacher entails. There are five major ones that stand out in my mind. The first is simply being organized - paper clips, staples, binders, and folders can go along way and save you a serious headache. Basically, if you aren't organized - you're screwed. The second is the energy you bring to the classroom. This is very important because it shows students that you are comfortable, insterested in your subject, and care about them as learners. To keep your energy level up I would recommend four things: morning coffee (huge), good nutrition (including lots of H2O), exercise, and daily vitamines. The third is to establish yourself and your rules in the first few weeks of class. Due to the fact that you did not have an opportunity to do this in September, continue to enforce your cooperating teachers rules and regulations (this will help you determine your own classroom policies in the future). The students are already used to a certain set of rules - so don't upset the equilibrium. Fourth, establish a good repour with the faculty (your not their to walk around with your head down), especially with those in your content area. This can lead to an invaluable support system from which you can gain things like worksheets, quizes/tests, labs, demonstrations, and awesome lesson plans/approaches to topics. Finally, establish a good repour with your students. Remember that they are people not just empty jars for you to put information into and they have off days just like you do. Show them that you can relate to them, after all you were in their shoes too not so very long ago. Personally, I have found that talking to them like you would talk to your own peers (minus the swear words of course) shows them the respect that you expect to get from them.
More importantly than anything else, understand that you have not been at this for 10+ years - so don't expect that you are going to ace every lesson. I guarantee that you will make mistakes and sometimes totally bomb lessons. What will define your character as a teacher is how well you learn from those mistakes. Personally, I have bombed a lesson and been incredibly discouraged but had an opportunity to teach the same lesson again (in the same day) and, after making adjustments to my presentation, hit a home run (meaning all students were engaged and absorbed the material presented). Remember to have as much fun as possible whenever possible, because I can honestly say it's a big reason why I made it to the finish line with a smile on my face.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
BE FRIENDLY TO YOUR COOPERATING TEACHER!! Whether or not you actually agree with his/her methods having you on their good side is critical. Remember, this is a professional internship, just because they tell you to do something one way doesn't mean you can't be your own teacher once your on your own! Because you will!!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Inquiry Assignments, because its the NEW "cat's meow" of science education.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
If I worked out more lesson plans before I started. Although running into a class with a 5-second fresh lesson plan is an experience all student teachers need (because it sucks), I guess I wish I would have made my lesson plans earlier so my assignments would also be done earlier.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Copy guy/gal is your new best friend! good luck finding a working copy machine. GO INTO THE LUNCH ROOM!!! TALK!!! YOU ARE NOW THEIR PEER!!! (in many cases: educational-superior). SMILE, FAKE-IT-TILL-YOU-MAKE-IT, BE MORE PROFESSIONAL THAN ANYONE THERE!! (Everyone notices)
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Definitely learn your students' names. They think it's great and are more responsive when you start teaching if you address them by their names. It's also good for classroom management - instead of having to interrupt class by addressing a talking student, you can simple slip their name in your sentence and keep on teaching. It catches them off guard because they don't think you know who they are yet.
Get a good feel for your CT and how they run their class. Do NOT try to alter what they already have in place - just go with it. Some stuff you may agree with, others you may not. The students, however, will not like big changes and it will only make the experience negative for you.
Get to know other teachers, especially the ones in your department. Come spring when you are looking for ideas and/or lessons, you will have multiple resources to go to opposed to just your CT.
Get a good handle on what your students are like in the fall, so you know what types of classroom management you will be dealing with. It is extra beneficial to practice running through possible scenarios in your head. What could potentially happen, what issues will arise, and most importantly, how will you handle them.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Unit plan - It is definitely beneficial if you plan lessons for topics you will actually be teaching. If you don't end up teaching what you planned, no stress - maybe someone else can benefit from it and you can benefit from theirs.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
...played with possible classroom management scenarios in my head. Figure out what you'll see and plan in your head how you'll handle it. It's not fool proof, but it sure helps!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Don't be afraid to share! Student teaching is all about sharing. Share lessons, share ideas, share stories (both good and bad), share tips and pointers, but don't share germs!!
Be flexible! It can be really frustrating to have these great ideas and then your CT says you don't have time for it, or changes the topics all together.
Avoid getting sick. It's much harder on your part to be out of school!
Be prepared for anything!! And I mean it! Just a few personal experiences - two girls passing out in the same class, locked out of classrooms that contain ALL my planning materials, being called 'mom,' running into students on the weekends when *gasp* you are in normal clothes.
Take full advantage of getting to know the 'teacher life' - go to faculty meetings, email/call parents, take over homeroom/advisory, eat lunch with other teachers (but avoid the teacher lounge - mostly cranky teachers in there), learn how to run all necessary technology equipment, get to know the secretaries and janitors.
Have fun! It is definitely a learning experience with a cycle of highs and lows. Try to avoid frustration and stress - do this by planning ahead and going with the flow.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
I would say the biggest thing is to get to know your CT very well, and use that for everything you can get from it. Especailly with your first placement. Get to know the kids, the school and the teacher. What is his/her style? What manner does your CT use for opening and closing class/ classroom routines etc. The better you know this the more comfortable you will be when it comes time to start teaching. Spend as much time as resonably possible with your CT observing and take as active a role as they will allow while you are visiting. Ask to teach a mini lesson, preferably of your design. Work one on one with the students to get an idea of that age groups learning abilities and styles. You cannot over prepare in this manner.
Second would be to take yourself seriously and take care of yourself. This is not the time to go out and party on thursday night. You need to start training yourself to not only be up, but productive in the morning. Let your boss(es) now that they shouldne be expecting as much of you in the spring as they are now, this is a big commitment.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Im going to go with an obvious choice, but with a spin. The biggest thing you can do to help prepare is to get your unit plan absolutly rocking - that should be obvious. The trick here is to focus on what is important to actually teaching it. Spend alot of time on things like creating interesting projects and activities. You want to have the big picture down really well, i personally always fill in the details towards the last minute - as this is when you most accuratly know what the class needs at that particular point in time. Focus your energy on comming up with awesome lesson outlines, projects that encourage students to take an active role in their learning and purposeful small group activities and labs. These are the things that take the most time to plan, and require materials that you cannot alwasy get your hands on the week before, let alone a day or two before. Again I personally found myself constantly altering worksheets, notes etc. The main outline of the unit and the lessons were huge. With that in mind though make sure your unit is complete, things happen and you are far better off having OK stuff when something goes wrong than nothing at all.
Try and think about why you are doing what your doing with the formal lesson plans, while you may not write the DOK for furture lessons you write, you deiantly want to make sure you think about it. It is very easy to fall into a routine where all you ask for is DOK 1.
And finally spend some time thinking about graphic organizers and thinking maps, these can prove very useful, even in high school.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
The kids are going to try to feel you out. Your students have spent a long time figuring out your CT, and at this stage in the year your CT can ' have a little fun with the kids'. He/she can get away with joking with the kids and laughing at them etc. You need to keep this in mind. Start of tougher and then ease of once youve set boundries, if you try to pick up exactly where your CT left off - you are in for a tough time.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Your CT's are a tool - and they are also real people with a passion for what they do ( at least mine where), be honest with them. Let them know you want to learn, if you strive for the best they will be more then willing to help. When my CT left the room she would usually email me an informal assesment of myself and my lesson, including good and bad - this was the single most valuable thing from my stuednt teaching, constant feedback, and it was non threatning and informal.... perhaps this says something about how you should teach your class....
Take it serious, but remember that you are learning, you will make mistakes - as long as you learn from them your doing okay. Remeber this is student teaching.
Make sure if you are working with a middle school team, that you actually work with them. I learned so much from the whole team, and from the kids.
Go in with a clean slate. Some kids will really get to yuour CT in the 6 months+ before you get there, its only human to get frustrated from time to time. But you are a differnt person and you can have a huge effect on students. Students that wouldnt hane in anything before i began teaching rarely missed assignments, of course the opposite can happen to, so be careful.
Be careful in the begining when you are just learning the students name. At first I found myself calling on the kids whos names I learned first more - this can look like you are picking favorites. Be aware of this.
Dont lose track of why you are here. Every week or so (especially if things didnt go exactly as planned) I would read through my teaching rationale and my PDSP, to remind me of why I was here and what I was trying to accomplish.
I firmly believe that their is no job more challenging, rewarding, and important than what you are about to embark on - you should to if you made it this far - never lose site of that. You will have good days and you will have bad, but dont lose track.
Kids like to see a teacher in control. At first I felt bad for the good kids whenever i had to talk to the rest of the class, or move seats because of it. But they apreciate it - and the kids your tazlking to/moving need it. As long as you are sincere and beleive in what your doing, the kids can tell the differnce between genuine care and concern about them - and simply yelling at them.
And finally dont let anyone tell you that you cannot fit a square peg through a round hole. Or a square peg through a star shaped hole. Sometimes you need to. Believe in what you tell your kids and be the person you need to be. Instead of teaching your kids to fit into the mold, teach them to slip right in and make it there own.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
1. Make sure that you talk to your CT about the unit that you are going to teach. This way you can actually put your unit to good use in your spring semester.
2. Spend as much time as you can in the school that you are going to student teach in. Do not just spend the minimum required time. The more the students see you, the more comfortable you will be when you start. Spend enough time so that you as least know every student's name by the time you start.
3. Teach a lesson. Talk to your CT and ask them if you can teach a lesson. This will give you an idea about how the students respond to you and you can them adapt your planning according to how the lesson goes.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
1. The unit plan. Develop your lessons so that they are ready to use. Put together all of the materials, make the worksheets, find the videos, etc. This way you have everything ready for when you start.
2. Make your wikispace. Make your wikispace before you start student teaching. I would suggest creating if over winter break when you have time. This will be one less thing you will have to worry about when you start.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
1. Spent all of my Christmas money on teacher clothes. You need them!
2. Developed my own set of rules to establish on the first day of student teaching. If you do not agree with the structure of your CT's class, you should set some ground rules.
3. Made all of my tests before I taught the unit.
4. Developed my Unit plan for my high school placement instead of my middle school.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Write down what you CT tells you. You might learn something small that will make a huge difference one day in your own classroom. Even if it seems obvious, write it down. Take notes at team meetings. There are a lot of great ideas that come about during team meetings. Whether it be a parent teacher conference, how to handle a failing student, or interactions between team members, it is all important to remember. Be nice to your students. Show them that you care! They will be much more responsive to you if they know that you are willing to put in the extra time to help them out after school. Put in the time! Lastly, collect any file, lesson, worksheet, etc that you can from other teachers. Sit in on classes! Start collecting resources that you will be able to use one day!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Develop a good rapport with your cooperating teacher. Show up on time- don't show up randomly without warning- and pay attention (as closely as possible!) to their management techniques. I recommend not getting involved in too many outside of student teaching activities for the spring that aren't necessary, it will run you into the ground as teaching gets going!
Invest in a teacher's planning calendar and LOTS of folders, obtain your school's textbook, and start looking for as much information as you can about your unit that you are teaching.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I would say- perhaps being able to construct a viable unit plan. I found that my own unit plan, though interesting, turned out to not be incredibly useful. I had planned activities that I learned now, are practically impossible to conduct in the amount of time that I was given. I also did not really know what "inquiry based learning" was until I reached this class, and was somewhat confused upon what it meant for awhile. Further instruction upon inquiry-based lesson planning and implementation would be greatly appreciated; how exactly can you implement this? What is a good motivator for inquiry-based lessons when your students are adverse to inquiry of any kind, ie: "just give me the answer already, I don't want to try to figure it out!?"
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had planned out my time in a wiser way. I learned that, if you don't set aside time for your planning and stick to it, planning starts to eat away at the other parts of your life. (the parts that would be better left alone) Perhaps make an hour or two after school sacred to lesson planning- do nothing else but plan and don't let yourself do anything but! This will give you a chance to keep your life sane, helping you balance outside activities/hobbies/friends. If I had done this earlier, I feel as if I would have gotten much more done in a better way, since these outside-of-school activities keep you from burning out.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
- Do not forget that there is more to life than student teaching, the world does not stop for your lesson planning- so plan ahead always- just in case!
- Have an "extra" emergency lesson plan for those days that are thrown off by field trips, fire drills, or some other reason. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is a wonderful example, read it and discuss the implications of man on his environment!
- That seminar class thing that you're involved in? Its important. It helps. It helps you realize that you are not alone in your plight, and gives you an opportunity to ask questions that you do not know how to answer. It is a grade; and don't forget that!
- The way you dress does matter. Always dress nicely ironed and combed!
- Have compassion! No matter how bad, there is something good in every student that you will have. Open your eyes to see outside of the norm, their "good" just might not be the kind that you are used to seeing, look for it; the good is there.
- Never ever hesitate to ask questions of your CT. They seem appreciate that you ask- its like a compliment and shows that you care about your teaching!
- Make friends with the other teachers in your department. This could give you a chance at a substitute teaching job in the spring.
- Remember that "reflections" section in your lesson plans of the past? Reflect on your lessons! Did they bomb? Did they do okay, but take three days rather two? Think about it!
- ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have a lesson plan for your advisor. Always. If you are afraid you are going to forget your plans somewhere or lose them, write a stickynote and staple it to your forehead the night before as a reminder OR just make extra copies and email it to yourself.
---- (- sleep + coffee) teaching all day = (short lived + ineffective + shallow) lessons
- This semester will fly by faster than any other semester in your waking memory.
- You can do it!!!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
· Describe your first student teaching context (school setting). What school are you at, what are some of its characteristics, and what classes are you teaching, and how are classes scheduled at your school? (At least one paragraph.) · Explain one of your "stealth" objectives that you want to accomplish with your students and why. (At least one paragraph) · Use the template "EDC 484 RJ01 - School Setting" to create your journal page.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Do whatever you need to do so you do not have to work another job during your student teaching. I say 'another job', because student teaching is a job on its own, without the benefit of a paycheck. This doesn't mean there are not other benefits, but I found that trying to work while student teaching made the entire process more difficult than it needed to be. My financial situation put me in a position where I had to work all day on Saturdays in order to make enough money for food and fuel. This left one day out of the week for me to plan my lessons, search for resources, do any necessary grading, create handouts, find activities/videos/demos, and do any work for seminar. This was simply not enough time. Do what you can to work as little as possible outside of student teaching, it will demand your every moment.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Be sure and have a good grasp of how to effectively pull off inquiry. The benefit of this is two fold. First of all it is a great approach to learning science. It put students in the shoes of scientists and gets them to ask questions they normally would not have considered. Also, it takes some of the work off of your shoulders and puts it on the students. Why this may seam like the lazy way out, but it is important for teachers to be sure the students are doing more thinking than you are. Inquiry is a great way to put the bulk of the thinking on the student while freeing up your brain for things like formative assessmen, which is another topic from 430 i recommend having a solid grip on.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Put more of the responciblity of learning on the student.
As I mentioned above we want the students brain to be more active than your own. A good approach to this is to think of what you need to do for a lesson and see if you can manipulate the situation in such a way that the student does the work for you, and learns something in the process. For example if you are looking for a good video to demonstrait osmosis, rather than spend an hour or so on youtube, have the students do a search for you, reporting back with a good video with an explanation as to why they think it is a good video.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Stay ontop of grading. If you get an assignemnt on Monday its graded on Monday and returned Tuesday. Students need feedback as fast as possible ionorder for it to be of any use to them. If they get it 2 or 3 days later they have already forgotten what the assignment was. Also your grading pile can snowball into a morally devistating stack of paper that will haunt your dreams. You have to get it done at some point so do it RIGHT AWAY. If at any point you think you can get away with not doing any grading for a day than you need to remember that not only is it in your best intrest to grade the papers right away, it is also best for the student to get that feedback as soon as possible. It is our dubty as teacheers to serve each student as best we can and that requires fast feedback.
Also,
Suck it up. Student teaching is a difficult period. You are oging to have to work withsomeone who may have different views about teaching than you. Deal with it. Think of it as an opportunity to take a new perspective on teaching. While you may have this ideal view on how you want to teach. You have nothing to lose by taking in thier perspective on things.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
First thing that is beneficial to having a great student teaching experience is becoming friendly with the cooperating teacher. It is extremely important to have a great relationship with your CT because they are the ones that you are spending your entire day with. Always be friendly, Always be respectful and Always be enthusiastic about your student teaching experience.
It is extremely important to know the students names, If you can learn the students names before you get in front of the classroom it is a huge plus. It is much easier to discipline students when you know their names.
Ask your CT if it is possible if you taught a class before you actually began your student teaching. You can give the students an overview of how long you will be with them and where you go to school. This will also take away some of the nerves from that first day of student teaching!!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Dr Fogleman does a great job giving the class little tips throughout the school year that will help you get through the school day. My advice to you is to listen and record these ideas this way you can implement them in your classroom.
Another topic that is covered in 430 which is extremely important is trying to create inquiry activities that help you teach for understanding. When you are in your student teaching placement if you do an inquiry activity your CT will be extremely impressed. Inquiry activities are the new wave of science lessons and are extremely beneficial for the students.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
First off I would try to figure out exactly what it is that you will be teaching during your 7 week span at both schools. I was kind of shy and afraid to ask my CT which lead to me creating a whole unit on the Changing Earth that didn't end up using. It was not a complete waste of time because it did help me learn how to properly write lesson plans, but I wish the unit i did in EDC 430 was the unit I taught in my time at the schools.
Another tip is to always be prepared because as soon as you give a lab test or project, you will be spending many hours grading these assignments. It is important to be prepared for multiple weeks this way when you have a ton of grading to do, you only have that grading, you don't have to be planning and grading at the same time.
I would definitely think of a system that will allow you to keep track of students missing work, as well as work students need when they are absent. Many times in schools the first 10 minutes of class is wasted because students will be coming up and asking for the work which they have missed. If you have a system in place that cuts down on this situation then you will be in better shape.
Lastly always be EXTREMELY ORGANIZED!!!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
If I were to say any wisdom to get you through your student teaching, it would be to stay organized, stay friendly, and always remember that no matter how difficult these 14 weeks may feel, It is going to make you a better teacher. After these 14 weeks you will be done with the University of Rhode Island and out in the rel world. Enjoy your student teaching, always be prepared for the week ahead and ready to enhance the students learning. Lastly keep in touch with your CT because you never know where a job may pop up and they may be willing to help you out if one appears in their district.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Definitely pay attention to how their CT is putting together lesson plans, even if the CT is using a general plan that he has used many times. Ask questions on how to create a week's worth of these general lesson plans. Ask the teacher to give you an outline of what he is doing for each week and what activities, handouts, worksheets he will use. This will help you when you are putting your own lesson plans together and have a general idea of what it looks like.
Try to get to know the other teachers in your subject area. They can be an added resource for lesson plans, ideas, worksheets, power point presentations and other things that can be simply different from your assigned CT but fits your own personality as a teacher. But remember to keep your CT in the loop about this by asking him to point his peers that he may find helpful.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Classroom management and crowd control.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
paid more attention to what the teacher was planning ahead of time. Seeing the CT only once a week and not seeing the planning needed to execute the class was a hard lesson to learn in January. I might ask to teach a class or classes ahead of time to get the feel for the classroom.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Do not underestimate the amount of energy and time that student teaching will require of you. Odds are that the amount of time that you think you will need for student teaching is less than what you will be really putting in. But it is fun.
Also, please regard your URI instructors as excellent resources in dealing with your CTs. Do not hesitate to bring up any issues you may be having with your CT with them, they have seen it all.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
My suggestions may seem slightly random, however they would have been helpful for me. If you are taking any science courses in the fall, try to think about how you may teach the material rather than just absorbing it. I know that there is tons to do, however it will help in the long run by getting in the teacher mode, rather than passive learner mode.
Start keeping an organized binder of any science teaching/lesson plan ideas you have during this time. I know for me I kept thinking of a lot of cool ideas, however when it comes crunch time, and you are responsible for all of these classes, you tend to forget those good ideas.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Creating assessments is much much harder than it may seem. Creating the test may seem like the easy part, because you just come up with questions and administer the test...not so! There are endless variables that need to be accounted for when creating a test that accurately reflects what you students know/should know. Therefore any activity in EDC430 that might help you prepare for test making is key to pay attention to, and may save you many drafts of the tests you make.
The unit plan that is created in EDC 430 is very helpful to begin to plan out ideas, however I did not find my unit plan to be very applicable in the classroom. Before going into the classroom, it is hard to plan for time management while teaching. My unit plan was very ideal, and did not take into account all the variables that happen endlessly in schools, especially high school. I would focus on making my unit plan flexible, with back up plans!
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
1. figured out the actual curriculum while I was observing (not just the standards because teachers have their own agendas)
2. saved more money (if possible) during first semester because I had to cut down on work
3. prepared more teacher outfits
4. come up with my own set of rules, rather than simply adopting my CT's
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
I was terrified of public speaking, and was wondering why I chose the career path I did. Yes, I shook terribly the very first time I tried to introduce a lesson, but it got so much better. After a couple of lessons, and after recognizing that I love to teach science and I am not expected to be perfect the first go-round, I became much calmer, and therefore delivered my lessons much easier and more comprehensive. So if you are thinking that you might run out of the class crying and never return, it is not as bad as you might think, and it is definitely rewarding and an experience you can be proud of when you finish!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
-If you are getting your middle level endorsement as well, visit both schools once a week. Yes this takes up more time but seeing the students and becoming familiar with your CT each week will be well worth it.
-The unit plan is extremely overwhelming but it will help you during your time student teaching [do it for a high school lesson]. Remember, while student teaching, all your lessons you prepare will not be that detailed but getting that practice will help you in the long run.
-Google/search for activities online for various topics in your content for a specific topic [genetics, photosynthesis, etc.] that way when it comes time you can just click open a folder on your computer and browse through your potential activities to use. Most of my time during student teaching was spent finding quality activities to do and when I couldn't find them you have to create them which takes time.
-Be as bubbly and personable as possible! Faculty and principals want someone in their school and potentially on their staff who is excited and likes being in school and with students.
-Get to know students names during the fall--one less thing to worry about come spring and they'll feel like you took the time to know them right from the start.
-See what works for your CT and what doesn't as far as classroom management goes. You'll see that certain students can handle certain techniques [sarcasm, social cues, etc].
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
-Classroom management--you can anticipate what you would do in a certain situation but until you are in front of the classroom and have to react, you won't know.
-Unit plan--plan a great unit for a relevant/large unit for the high school [middle school lesson plans are easier than high school] and plan it well. That way during student teaching, you don't have to worry as much come those couple of weeks.
-Take advantage of the observations--become a part of the classroom--help out, walk around the room when students are working on an activity that way come spring you're already a familiar face and not just some college student who sat in the back of the room.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
-researched activities and gotten a hold of resources asap from my CT. That way even if you spend a couple of hours a week jotting down some ideas for certain topics, you're already one step ahead [even if it's just a bunch of helpful websites]
-taught a couple of lessons during December observations--that way the students see you as a teacher figure prior to you starting student teaching and you can relax a bit more over winter break knowing that you've taught a couple of times and won't have the first day anxiety in your head all break.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share? -be organized! have a separate binder/folder for each class/block and even go as far as having a graded and ungraded folder for each class/block...very helpful during class when students hand in papers quickly and when you have to hand back papers
-have multiple flash drives [1 back up too!]...this way you can work on notes/activities/labs at home and also bring them to school to work on them on the school/classroom computer if available...TIME IS PRECIOUS! The more work you get done in school the less you have to do when you get home!
-trying to have a good relationship with your students can be difficult because you want to be their friend and let them know that you understand where they're coming from [hey you are a student too!] so trying to find that balance is hard. It is easier to be firm in the beginning and let up as the weeks progress but difficult to be fun and uber relaxed all the time and then when one student misbehaves try and lay down the law--they will not take you seriously! Have fun with them and laugh but remember you are the teacher and it is school and they are there to learn.
-most importantly--be flexible, and be excited about what you are teaching--if you express to students 'Okay let's just get through this activity and then class will be over' they will not get into it because you aren't! You put in the time to plan it and you love science...so get into it!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
1. First and foremost, make a "BIG" impression the first time you meet your ct. Ask them when he/he can they spare an hour to get togeher with you and offer to bring a coffee. Dress professionally as they will make a judgement about you this very day!! You want to appear professional, mature and ready go! During this time, ask the necessary questions. Make this a "You" conversation and avoid the "I" word for today. GET TO KNOW YOUR CT. A Great, trusting Relationship/Friendship with your CT makes your experience so much more enjoyable and memorable!
Mix up the questions between some non-school related questions (i.e. what do you like to do in your spare time) and school related questions that should be prepared ahead of time. Thinking of it like a first date. You guys are feeling eachother out to see if this will work this year...
Sample Questions:
Have you ever had a student teacher before? And if so, what are some routines/processes/behaviors that worked really well and what didnt work?
What classes do you currently teach and what level are the students?
Does your school follow block scheduling and if not, what is the schedule and how long are classes?
When is your prep period in case I need to get in touch with you? What is your email and cell phone (EXCHANGE before you leave)
What is the procedure for visiting the school and what room are you located in?
When do you prefer me to come in each week?
Do you have a copy of the years sllyabus for the classes tha you will be taking over?
Which topics in each class will you be coverin when you take over? Write this down?
Would you be willing to share some of your lesson plans so I can get an idea of your teaching style?
Can I have a copy of the text books that I will be using (Preferably a teachers copy)
You will think of more...and the let the conversation be casual and relaxed....If you have time, ask for a tour of their classroom and school (ex. bathrooms, nurse, office & copyroom)
And before you leave...Thank you them for their time and express how excited you are about being there!
2. I know you are busy right? But make the time this fall to visit your classrooms (1 full day each week at each placement or alternate but spend most of your time at the placement that you are heading off to first). While you are there, make it worth your while....
Tips
Dress professionally and wear comfortable shoes...(Ladies...do not wear short skirts or lower scooping shirts)
Introduce yourself to the office staff, explain that you will be student teaching for _
Ask the office staff where they prefer you to park during the visits
If you see the Vice Principal, Asst or Principal-introduce yourself
Wear the Name tag- Your MR. or Ms. _ now
When the teacher introduces you to the class, speak to them (Get practice)...Tell them that during the next few months, you are looking forward to getting to know each and every one of them.
The first few times (1-2) sit in the back of the classroom and observe your students style (Whats the teacher doing, what is the students doing, take some notes of wh you liked and didnt like)
Third visit--Jump in...Ask the teacher if it is okay if you move around, help students, ask questions during activities, pass out paperwork, pass back test, take attendance, grade some test
MAKE YOURSELF AN ASSET EARLY ON (MAKE YOUR TEACHER NEED YOU)
Alternate the days you go if there is block scheduling so you see each period and get to meet your students-(all of them)
3.
Get to know the students- look at them..do they have sports jerseys on? Do they have muscial instruments with them...Associate names with activties...Ask them if they are involved and make a connection with each..Maybe you also played this sport in high school. Learn there names. Make a joke telling them that you may ask their name 20 times due to your bad short term memory so apologize in advance.. Make relationships with your students But DO NOT MAKE FRIENDS..they still need to know that you are the adult and teacher. Dont be afraid to walk around the classroom and practice classroom management techniques ..for example, if you see a group talking about non-science content, ask them a question that pertains to the lab or activity to get them back on track. Practice and Practice some more!
4. Ask your teacher if you can practice being up in front of the classroom
-Start by reading off instructions to a lab or model an activity
-Next arrange a time to watch the teacher teach the lesson first and then try it the next period
-Ask your ct if you can create a lesson and try it out with one period (It is much easier to teach your own then trying to teach theirs)
-Try to get into this habit...EARLY!!! (BY THE BEGINNNG OF NOVEMBER)
Your students will get used to you being the "Teacher" and you will get used to being in front of the students, speaking aloud....No matter how good you think you are, you will sound like an idiot the first few times...Its okay......The only person that will remember that after your done is YOU! Bravo- for trying it.
If you do this stuff, early January when you start actually student teaching, you can jump right infor taking over classes...Trust me, it is a lot more fun then sitting back!!
5. Obtain Future lessons/materials from their folder or file draw for ideas for future lesson planning
6. Write down the Seating Chart a head of time so you can get to know your students
7. VERY IMPORTANT*
Visit OTHER TEACHERS..Listen, your teacher may be great but his/her style may not match yours. See as many different teachers (have your CT help you schedule this with others! You will get tips/tricks and possibly observe styles that make more sense to you. You will not have the opportunity to do this while student teaching or if you get a job. Learn, Observe and if you think about it...Its also a nice way for teachers to get to know who you are in the school.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
You will have a Unit Plan to complete. Here is the deal......Look at the syllabus and speak with your CT. Find out what exactly you will be teaching the 2nd-3rd week you are going to be teaching by yourself the full period. (The first 2 weeks you will probably be co-teaching, or partically teaching so dont waste your unit plan topic for that time)
Strategically pick the topic for the 3rd week you will be teaching. You will want something that is planned out to follow opposed to writing lessons from scratch during student teaching when you are grading, and being busy busy busy!
Here is the honesty part.. ...You will put something together and in your mind wil; think that it is perfecto! It will not be. You need to be flexible. Know that your unit is a backbone but do not settle with it. Try it one period, tweak it the next for what didnt work. The timing thing....wil be way off. Your lessons will be a lot longer than what you have time for. Students will ask questions, your activites will take more time than you think they will. ITS OKAY. Just be flexible! Know that this is a backbone only....You will tweak, etc but at least it is there for your support.
WHAT IS KEY: That when you are done, you take the time to revise your lessson. After each period, or next prep, I would sit down and revise my activity hand outs, lesson plan or power point immediately after so that the next time I teach it, the quirks would be fixed.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
My activity hand outs and lesson plans written 2 weeks in advance at all times. There were times this year that I would put something together the night before or two days before and it did work because that is how I operate BUT...this doesnt work for everyone especialy those who are still undergraduates who are not used to working a full-time job.
If you have your powerpoint slides, your activity hand outs and lessons printed, prepared for AT LEAST the following week (Buy yourself a milk crate style box at staples with hanging folders labeled Monday-Friday)...YOU WILL BE MUCH LESS STRESSED OUT!
What I would have done differently- I would dedicate one day in the fall (take a few hours) and create a lesson plan. By the time you start student teaching you will have an idea of what you would like to do. If you do not have time to write a full lesson plan with a full time schedule of classes or a job...then at least take each topic you will teach (using the syllabus), break it down to subtopics, look at the GSEs and start brainstorming activities/lessons that you will use during that topic. Use a planning calender and the text book to see how long each unit can be and what the text book covers...Then you will have a good idea of how many lessons you need to create for each unit.
The second thing I would have done in SEPTEMBER....IS RELAX!!!!!!!!!
I was mentally stressing myself out about this experience. Not about the amount of work but "Will I be a good teacher and "What If I screw up" , etc, etc, etc.....Dont stress yourself out...You will be fine....This will be one of the most amazing experiences you will have....Again if you follow my 7 tips of advice in section "A" then you will be just great!!!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Create a good relationship with your CT. This makes all the world of difference. Some of my classmates were less fortunate than me and didnt have a good relationship..If this does occur..My advice would be to Speak up and talk to Professor Fogleman early. You will know automatically if your match will work or not work..dont waste time..speak up....You want to make the most out of the experience but also keep in mind.
Make sure you get to school early as your CT does-You will need the time to Plan
Make sure you keep a binder of your activity sheets and lesson plans for the next year when you get a job!
Make your own lessons.....dont use the textbook crap worksheets and DONT use ALL YOUR CT's Lessons.....you want to make original lessons..Show your WORTH!
When you first start teaching, talk to your CT right after your lessson about feedback..How will you correct it, what worked, what didnt work..do this DAILY!
Jump in right away..I heard of students spending 2-4 weeks without teaching in the Spring..Jump in..get going....You will get more out of it
Take the opportunity to practice new skills, try different types of teaching styles, use different management techniques..this is the time to do so
Create your own Assessments (Dont use the test maker cd with the book- its crap)...Give students feeback on the tests and labs/homework
Dont be afraid to set up "Advisory Dates" or Lunch dates with students who are not working or behaving, get to know them, make a plan to get them on track
Go to lunch with the teachers..You will learn alot about the reality of teaching
Get to know your Dept Chair...Invite them to a class to observe..You will be able to get a good letter of recommendation from them
Give the agenda and home work the first five mintues of class because you will probably run out of time at the end and its a lot harder to get t students attention when they are engaged
During the first class you take over, go over what you envision for the year with th students..Tell them who you are, what your plans are with changing the grading or classroom rules, set expectations from the start (Have at least 2-3 of your own rules)...I was big on "when someone is talking, everyone else should be listening"
Give the students time to ask questions the first day you are there
Create a "Introduction Page about your arrival with your contact info for students to give to their parents
You want to pick the days you are going to absolutely stay after and post them on the board each week for make up tests, etc
Use your prep periods wisely...Copy for the ahead of time, grade tests while you are at school, lesson plan
If you use your preps wisely or you make a pact not to leave school until the week is planned or all test grades are done..once you get home "Its your time"
Go to bed by 10:30 each night and wake up an extra half hour early just in case you need to get gas, coffee, need to run to a 24 hour CVS for materials in the morning
Invite the Assistance or Vice Principle in on a big day when you are doing presentations or a good lesson (they will only stay a few minutes but they will KNOW WHO YOU ARE)
Do not assume the copy machince will be ready for last minute copies in the morning or before the period....So make sure do things a day in advance at least
Schedule time for your ocmputer lab way in advance...This books up super quickly....Plan accordingly
Remember that students are students, you are the teacher and you are setting the example for them.....Spread your positive attitude .
Visit teachers classrooms when you can (Observe styles, arrangements, management techniques, etc)
Ask for help or advice from CT if you need it.
Ask your CT how they want to review your lesson ideas/plans before giving them
Contribute something to your classroom (Materials or help out at an extracurricular activity, bring in a guest speaker)...DO SOMETHING TO BE REMEMBERED BY..
Dont be afraid to ask your Dept Head to order items for you assuming they have unused funds (i.e. cultures of microorganisms)
Dont leave school until your CT does.
Ask for recommendations eary from your CT and Dept Head....(give them at least 3 weeks) and keep your ears opened about new positions next year....
ENJOY THIS TIME. ITS AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE. YOU WILL HAVE GOOD AND BAD DAYS BUT EACH ARE MEMORABLE. YOU WILL LEARN MORE ABOUT TEACHING AND YOURSELF IN 14 WEEKS THAN YOU DID THROUGH YOUR 4+ YEARS OF COLLEGE.
[Invalid Include: Page not found: EDC 484 RJ08 - JenniferC]
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Absolutely, 100% try and be in your classroom AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!!! Do not just "visit" and "watch" a few times throughout the semester. This will make students more comfortable and familiar with your presence in the classroom, thus making the "Who are you again?" questions less likely when you begin student teaching.
Also, speak with your CT about possibly watching 1 period and teaching the next and "mimicing" the piror lesson. This will not only give you experience but also a comfortability and fimliarity with the students and the setting around you. If your CT refuses this, then try and get involved as much as possible. Hand out papers, walk around for students needing extra help - DO NOT JUST SIT THERE AND WATCH!!!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Obviously classroom management is everyones biggest problem. Make sure to seat your students the way YOU want them. If it turns out you made a mistake a paired a chatty couple of kids, move them. Don't let a few chatty kids ruin the period for all the other students.
Be sure to design your inquiry and your activities according to your classes ability level. If you don't make it interesting enough for the CP kids they won't want to participate and if you don't make the material challenging enough for your Honors students, they won't take the material OR you seriuosly.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Understood that students will take the smallest bit of leway you give them and run with it. If you are "soft" and allow students to talk/goof off during your classroom period it will NOT help you at all further down the road. Students will be constantly testing you to see what they can get away with and if you allow them too, they will continue fooling around. Put a stop to this IMMEDIATELY. Do not let it continue because if you try and stop it later on they won't take you seriously.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Don't be nervous, relax, your going to be fine. I am hoping you have chosen this profession for the "right reasons" and you really do care about the education of your students. As long as you enjoy your subject area and you enjoy your students, you will enjoy student teaching. It is a lot of work, but in the end its all worth it. Trust me, I'm a teacher!
[Invalid Include: Page not found: EDC 484 RJ08 - JenH]
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
*Get to know your CT well. Having a more friendly relationship with this teacher who will control you life for the next 14 or 7 weeks is to your benefit, and it will cut down the awkwardness on your first couple of days taking over their classroom (believe me it is definitely awkward at first).
*Keep in touch over Christmas break as well as (if your Middle school also) during you middle school rotation. It will make the transition much easier if you know where the classes are going once you are in the classroom.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
*Use your wiki!! Making a wiki is such a simple thing because you can work on it when you have free time, and then not touch it for weeks, and then come back to it etc....on and on. This tool is soooo useful!! Post things that you want to be sure to look at in class, such as videos or links to articles...the info is now in one place all you have to do in front of the class is click. Let your students use it!! They usually think that it is pretty neat that their teacher has his or her own website especially if you really jazz it up. Encourage students to use it outside the classroom, either for homework, extra credit resources, or research purposes.
*I <3 Diigo!! This online RSS feed maker/article archiver is such an awesome teacher resource....see a cool article on CNN...Diigo it and it is sure to be useful later...plus you'll know where to find it :)
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...." Kept a folder or bookmarked (in one place) lessons that I thought were cool. When your under the gun and trying to find that awesome food web lesson you saw online months ago, it never seems to reappear no matter how hard you google it. Keep a folder of lessons, and even short activities that are readily available to you at all times. Sometimes during planning your left with a time slot that is not large enough to start a new lesson so those quick 15-20 minute activities you saved earlier come in handy.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
* Sometimes you have to be pushy...respectful...but pushy...Just because your CT isn't letting you in on what's going on tomorrow or the next day doesn't mean that it's not for you to know...You should know!!! Be pushy and ask questions, if you don't you will surely be surprised when your CT tells you that you're teaching tomorrow without any previous discussion...
*Be yourself!! Let your personality come through your teaching. Stuffy notes seem to be the norm, but you don't have to be :) You are a young, new teacher and should be enthusiastic...it's a good thing!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
If I had to give wisdom to someone entering the student teaching program, I would say to get involved as soon as possible. I would suggest not treating your Fall 'observations' as typical observations. I suggest going as much as possible and really getting used to the students and the school policies and procedures. It is also good to get some practice talking to the students. I would say my biggest problem was adjusting to the classes and getting to know the students. I also would have liked to have had more practice giving instruction to students and trying atleast parts of lessons out. Before student teaching, we don't have any oportunities to play out a lesson and determine what works and doesn't work for us. Since we can't change the Education program, I'd suggest being actively involved in the class as soon as you arrive in The fall before student teaching. It makes life all that much easier in the spring.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
It would be a good idea to create a good and thurough unit plan. you can use this for your spring teaching. Use your CT for resources. Other than that, I'd start working on classroom management to get used to it and to start getting used to addressing your students.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
spent more time in my practicum getting used to the students and the classroom.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Take initiative early. The more the CT sees that you are confident in what you are doing and that they can be comfortable leaving you, the sooner they will leave you to the class on your own. This is great for getting your students used to seeing you as an authority figure and helps in classroom management.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly? For one, start planning with your CT long before you actually take over. Get the chapters and topics you are going to do ahead of time and begin creating activities, worksheets, powerpoints, or whatever else it may be during the fall practicum. During your fall practicum, go in and observe as much as possible! Begin teaching lesson plans, correcting papers, etc. Also, learn your students' names as fast as you can. Creat a seting chart, and quiz yourself everyday. Get to know your students on a level of understanding and respect. This will make it so much easier when you begin teaching in the spring.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching? I would have to say that having your classroom management skills ready to use will prepare them better for student teaching. I would make a list of various techniques that you think would help you, or that you would like to use in your classroom, run the by the CT, and begin implementing these procedures before you officically take over. Also, I would know how to create lesson plans that accurately address the objectives you wish your students to achieve.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...." Spent more time with my CT during the fall semester. I think that although I stil completed more than the required amountof hours, I wish I did more time, and that I was more involved during my visits. A lot of CT's dont want to hand over the reins until the absolutely have to, but do not be afraid to ask them if you can do something, teach a lesson, or do a demonstration. It does not hurt to open your mouth and ask! Your CT will probably appreciate the fact that your are trying and want to participate.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
I would say that you should have lots of fun your Fall semester, do everything you want to do your senior year then because when you start student teaching in the fall, it is a full time commitment/job. It is literally a job. The hardest part for my was seeing my friends not have nearly as much work as me, go out all the time, and not worry about a thing. You just have to remember that this is your passion and to love every second of it, because before you know it, its over. Enjoy the students, they truely are the best part. Try new things, dont be afraid to fail. Listen to all the help your CT is giving you. Constructive criticism can be hard to take, but your CTs are only there to help you. Form a strong relationship with your CT. Learn about your students, go to their baseball games and school plays. Don't wish for your student teaching to go by fast. Don't ever say, "I cant wait for this to be over", because before you know it, it will be over and you'll really miss it. It will be hard and it will be a lot of work. Hang in there, take it day by day, but try to plan as far ahead as you can. Rely on your CT, advisor, and peers for support and for anything else you may need.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Be as organized as possible (Paper clips and folders are your friends)
Complete your lessons one week in advance. You will not be successful if you are creating your lessons the day before.
Do not get frustrated with the managment of student behavior. Seek guidance from your CT.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Management of student behavior
What is needed during a preceptor visit (format of the unit plan)
Expectations of the CT
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
The plan book is the bible. Keep it up to date.
Be very organized
Create you plans a week in advance
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Do not get frustrated with the amount of work (at your school and URI)? I
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
I would ask if you could take the attendence in the fall so that you already know the names of the students when you finally begin teaching in the spring; it helps a lot if you don't have to learn the names while your teaching because during the first few classes you do feel a little nervous and if you already know the students names its one less thing to be worried about.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I would spend a lot of time on the unit plan. Reviewing the content is good but the biggest thing would be to think of good questions at all levels to ask the students and think of ways to get all of the students involved when questioning. Think about how you're going to present the material and think to yourself, "is this boring to me?" and if it is it will definitely be boring to the students and you should think of a different way to present the material.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
...really thought about what my HS classes were like; not only the good classes or bad classes but how the students behaved. I know it was a shock to me when some students didn't do a homework assignment because in HS I remember doing my homework just because I was supposed to but you need to think about the students that might not do it just because they are supposed to do their homework. You need to think of a way to make the homework and classwork interesting and have goals so that the students know why they are doing the work and try to make it fun for them to do the assignments or some students might not do them.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Over winter break I would plan as many classes as you can so that you don't have to stay awake at night thinking about what you're going to do the next day. Before planning ask you CT how long he/she takes with the topics so that you know how quickly you should move. Also, when you are planning don't just plan the topics, CREATE the worksheets ahead of time because they take a long time to make. I mentioned planning over winter break but February break comes really quickly and by then you should have an idea of how the classes will go so during break you should plan a lot because you will teach for about 8 weeks without a break before you have spring break and if you can get ahead you will have a lot less stress.
When you get into the classroom be strict at first because you can get easier but after you let the students get away with a few things its very hard to get the classroom back under control.
One last thing, have fun, it does get stressful at times so when you know of a fun activity make the best of it. Good luck!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Of course in the fall we are required to make a unit plan for a unit we plan to teach in the spring. My advice is to have some back-up plans/ideas for each of those lessons. If your real plan is to show a powerpoint presentation on plate tectonics, but for some reason, your SmartBoard or projecter craps out that morning, you will have a back up plan, or some other way to teach the concept.
In all seriousness, HIBERNATE....I can't tell you how precious sleep is. You are taking it for granted right now... just you wait.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
EDC 430 is a really great time to observe not just your cooperating teacher, but other science teachers in your high school. Take the time to venture out of your classroom-to-be and see: what other teachers teach, how they teach it, how they keep control in the room, the ways they go about dealing with a situation that gets out of control.
I really liked the journal entry we had to do that made us try to figure out what our teacher's lesson plan would look like for a lesson. While watching the lesson, try to determine the objectives, the assessments, and the different parts of the lesson. It is helpful to not only see how they assess their objectives, but how much teaching they get done in one period.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
taken the textbook that my students were given, and read through the chapters I knew I would be teaching. Some topics are easy and simple to glance over quick before teaching it. Other topics are not so familiar and you definitely need to make sure you fully understand the topic before teaching it. Students and your cooperating teacher will definitely get the sense that you don't know what you're talking about if you read the chapter or forgot to read the chapter the night before. There were definitely times when I had trouble explaining a topic. If you know back in the fall that you can't explain genetics well, then go ask your cooperating teacher and get advice before its the day you are teaching genetics. Our cooperating teachers are there to give us another way of teaching the knowledge, so don't be afraid to ask for help.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
The first time your lesson does not go according to plan (there's a fire drill, great discussion evolves), you may freak out and go crazy trying to figure out how to "fix the mess." Just remember that you will see the kids tomorrow, and it's not a big deal to not get through everything. It's better to have more planned than you can get through. If it perpetually happens that you only get through half of the material, then there is something to worry about (gotta stick to that curriculum!). But, it is ok to pick up where you left off the last class. You may end up with a better version of the original plan than you thought.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
During fall practicum I think the most important thing that students could do to make their student teaching go more smoothly is to familiarize themselves with students before you begin student teaching. From the first class of fall practicum, during groupwork and classwork walk around to all groups and work with students in a small group setting. This not only will help familiarize yourselves with them, but also allow the students to familiarize themselves with you as the beginning of student teaching can be a transition time for both you and your students. During this time don't only help students with their work, but try to have a personal conversation with every student possible before you finish your fall practicum about something that is outside the classroom. Extracurricular activities such as sports (both watching and playing), band, music in general, or even an interesting current event. Don't be afraid to share a little about yourself as well maybe if you have a pet, things you may like to do (such as playing sports, hiking, read books, etc.) or even share stories that may have happened to you. As students are able to make connections with you outside the classroom and realize that you genuinely take an interest into things they may do outside of the classroom they'll have a greater respect for both you and what you're teaching them. Through these methods it's helped me create a secure and comfortable learning environment for all students where they not only feel comfortable sharing things with you, but also the entire class. Students that may have been timid in the past now can feel at ease sharing answers and contributing to class discussions, which will make your day-to-day lessons more effective. Another thing you may want to consider is to teach a lesson in the fall, even if it's just a brief activity. Doing this will allow you to get a feel for both how your students act/work in group settings and also allow you to gain experience in front of the class.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think the unit plan, although time consuming and difficult at first, is the most important assignment of EDC 430. Once student teaching you'll be working on these unit plans on a daily basis, and familiarizing yourself with both the process of planning a unit and things to consider while planning before you begin student teaching will help you begin your student teaching on the right note. When I made my unit plan, I planned it for my second placement and taught this in the end of March. This was great, but If I were to do it again I would plan the unit plan I would most likely teach when I first began my student teaching in January. When you first begin student teaching you have a ton on your mind, between getting used to the schedule, students, teaching in front of the class. Planning a unit on top of this is the last thing you want to do, so although things may change and you may choose to change a lesson here and there or switch things around, these minor changes can easily be made as opposed to planning an entire unit during this first couple of weeks. Put a lot of time and effort into this in the fall, and they'll not only hep you during the first few weeks of student teaching but also make it easier to plan your next unit during student teaching.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
The one thing that I felt really handcuffed me throughout student teaching was mainly financial. With the ever-increasing gas prices and financial hardships on most of the country right now, it's understandable that if you're not placed in an area close to you that the gas prices could really hit you hard. With that said, they recommend that you don't work during student teaching, and this is a recommendation I strongly recommend you take into consideration, although based on your situation you may be unable to consider this. In the fall, you don't really grasp how time consuming student teaching is really going to be. When observing the class, it doesn't seem to bad and usually the work you may do entails things you enjoy doing so time passes quickly. Once you begin student teaching in January however, you really realize how much time and energy needs to be put into each lesson, activity, lab, or grading an assignment. Based on fellow student teachers, I know that even just working on these can seem like a very difficult task at times. If you need to work on top of this, it may seem insurmountable. Throughout student teaching I worked between 15-20 hours a week in an attempt to keep up with my finances between gas money, bills, etc. I feel like although I was able to complete all of my work and was confident I had successfully taught and prepared each lesson I taught, it came at the expense of my sleep. Working on 3, 4, and 5 hours sleep can become almost a norm if you need to take this route, and it can make it difficult to even get through the week. My recommendation to you is to work as much as you can during the fall semester and Christmas break before student teaching to build up your bank account so this is something you don't have to worry about during student teaching. Take it from me, throughout student teaching there is enough to fill up each day with things to do from the day you start till the day you finish if you do it effectively, and making time to work on top of this can make your student teaching unnecessarily difficult. With that said, if it's a route you must take just keep your head up and stay motivated, things will get easier as time goes on and although at times it may seem like you're going to break just keep working hard and you'll do just fine.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
The last words of wisdom I'd like to share is to be flexible throughout your student teaching. Don't stress, whether if an activity doesn't go as planned, you feel overwhelmed due to all of your work, or worry when a class may do poorly on a test. Stressing out about these things will only make matters worse, and instead it's good to just make the most effective use of your time to get everything that you need done and allows you to move on to the next task. I find it better to make a list of things that need to be done, and crossing off things one at a time makes me feel better about lightening the load. As teachers, it's important that we're very flexible during our teaching. Being fully prepared for each lesson and having a backup plan could serve as a very valuable tool when student teaching. During just my second lesson in January, I taught a lesson in which at the last second the powerpoint failed to work due to technical problems and the lab we were supposed to do right after taking notes couldn't be done due to lab materials that proved to be faulty (although tested the night before). These things happen, and luckily I was able to get through the notes by writing them on the board due to being thoroughly prepared with a printed copy and I had a backup activity planned for the students that we were able to complete. Don't stress out during these situations as it will only make things work, just stay confident and calm and work on fixing the problems that may arise on a day to day basis, it will make your student teaching a lot less stressful. Lastly, communicate with your cooperating teacher on a daily basis to gain input on your teaching styles and strategies. They've gained a lot of experience through their teaching, and although you may have a style quite different from theirs, you may find that implementing certain aspects of things they would do may make your teaching not only easier but more effective as well. Lastly, when things get tough just keep working hard and don't look back. You're going to get stressed out at least a few times during your student teaching and feel like there's no way you can complete everything you need to. Don't let it affect you and just keep working hard making the most out of the time you have. Things will get better and the 14 weeks will go by much faster than you think. Good Luck!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
1) Get overly involved with your observations in the fall of the classes you will be teaching in the spring. If you already know all students names, understand the dynamics, and have given quite a bit of facetime in the class it will make the transition from showing up weekly to showing up daily much easier. It will also give you more time to work with students and build up a profile so that they trust and respect you before you really get into the heart of teaching. Although you may want to just do the minimum and get by in the fall because you are going to be devoting an entire semester to it in the spring, go above and beyond what is required and make your mark at your school! Its not just for co-workers and the students, but it is for you as well.
2) Acutally compelte your major unit plan to the best of your ability, and CONFIRM with your CT that you will actually be teaching that material. If you are not spending every waking minute trying to complete unit plans when you are student teaching you will be able to get involved in more or different ways. So, do your work ahead of time and then enjoy those few weeks that are pre planned in the spring. What you have to do in the fall may seem overwhelming because you are balancing it with other classes, but I promise, it is nowhere near as challenging as your spring semester, so find the time!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
UNIT PLAN
Also, really take the time to develop the disciplinary aspect of your teaching rationale. You need to know how you are going to deal with different situations you may face ahead of time so that you surely handle them properly when they do (not if - when) come up...because they will no matter what school you are at. Work on the demeanor you would like to have in front of the class and start observing how your CT handles different situations in the fall.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Spent more time in the school and in the classroom more specifically
Rested when I had the opportunity (also taken vitamins)
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Do not just go in and work, teach and leave. The most rewarding part of teaching is the personal relationships that you get out of it, and as a student teacher, you should be able to enjoy that aspect too. When students reach out, reach back and give them that personal relationship that they need so much in the school. Reach out to students you judge that you can help, you will know who you feel comfortable doing that with when you see them. Be memorable, but also be yourself because they can smell a fake or phoney adult a mile away. Do not stare at papers, grades, white boards or computers so long that you forget to look up and see the faces of the students that you are impacting.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
make sure you develop a good relationship with your cooperating teacher - go to your placement school as much as possible and try to get to know as many people as you can by observing multiple teachers, attending after-school events, and eating lunch with different groups of teachers
use this observation time as a valuable experience - pay attention to the small details, not just the big picture. Watch how your teachers start and end class and tune in to how they handle misbehavior in the classroom. These areas tend to to be the most difficult for student teachers, so use the time you have to observe how various teachers deal with these areas.
make sure you know your students' names and involve your self in the classroom as much as you can - the experience is helpful and it will make the transition into student teaching a lot easier if the students already know and feel comfortable with you and vice versa
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The unit plan feels very overwhelming at the time, but it is important to do the best you can with it. Talk to your cooperating teacher and make sure the unit you plan is something you can actually use during student teaching. It is a lot of hard work, especially since you won't be used to writing so many lessons, but if you write a good unit plan that you can use, it will make student teaching go a lot smoother.
The assignment where we had to observe our cooperating teacher's movement throughout the room was very helpful because it is such a subtle tactic that you barely notice unless you look for it. I was really surprised to see how a teacher's movement and proximity to the students controlled student behavior and kept students' attention.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
If I had known in September what I know now, I would have spent a lot more time sleeping and hanging out with my friends because those are two activities that I pretty much never have time do do while student teaching!
If I had known in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had more clothing and didn't wait until the last minute to start developing a professional wardrobe.
If I had known in September what I know now, I would not have been so quiet around my students in the beginning. Once I became comfortable things went a lot smoother. If I had known then that my students were basically harmless, I wouldn't have been so nervous!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Act professional everyday. Show up early, leave late. Go above and beyond your required duties to make yourself stand out - you never know when a position will open up!
Sleep a lot. Live the life in the Fall, because you won't have one in the spring!
Enjoy every single day you get to spend at your school - if your experience is anything like mine, it may be the most helpful, exciting, and best experience you've ever had in college!
Woohoo! You're done! You made it! Use this last journal entry to "Pay it backward," and to share your wisdom with those who are following in your footsteps. Before you share your ideas, be sure to look back on what has already been suggested to see what needs to be added or reinforced. Use the template "EDC 484 S11 RJ06 - Wisdom" to create this journal entry
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
I think students need make it a point to get to know their CT's well. Having circumstances which led me to not knowing my CT until just before student teaching started made it very hard to communicate with her during student teaching. Also when the students begin writing the unit plan they should not rush through it. I was able to use my unit plan as part of my physical science classes and it was helpful in time management. I was able to use the unit plans and further adapt them to make them more relevant to the students. I think the students should get used to making =sure assignments are done a few days ahead of schedule so they can review and edit the assignments. I think that practicing having ,materials or papers done early will prepare the students for teaching and will aid in decreasing anxiety.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think the list of items students should complete during observations that was given to us in the beginning of the fall semester was vry helpful and allowed me as a student teacher to practice before i was actually teaching. I completed almost the entire list and it made me feel more confident teaching during the spring. In addition, I would suggest that student really think critically about their unit plan. I would suggest that they finish it early and have their CT's review the unit plan and give feedback and suggestions. I found the unit plan very useful during student teaching.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had not taken on an extra class so early into my student teaching in the high school setting. I felt a little pressured to pick up more classes and was concerned I was not doing enough. I think a slow transition into addition classes is the best. When you take on too much you get really frantic and anxious. Choose quality over quantity!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Do not take on too much during student teaching. Work as little outside of student teaching as you can. Keep working through breaks it helps stay ahead. Be flexible and okay with making mistakes it is how we learn. Also make sure you reflect on your mistakes and make your teaching better!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Visit your placements as much as possible and get to know the kids
Offer to teach parts of lessons so you get used to talking in the front of the room. You'll be less nervous when you start teaching full time!
Meet the principal and vice principal
Figure out what you'll be teaching and plan as many lessons as possible beforehand to make less work for yourself later on
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Classroom management strategies
Appropriate dress to wear to school
Unit Plan
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had planned more lessons over winterbreak and met more of the school faculty so I wasn't such a stranger in the building at first!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Enjoy it while it lasts and take advantage of all of the opportunities that come your way like parent meetings, IEP meetings, fieldtrips, professional development, etc.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Get to know your students- especially their names! It'll make teaching them so much easier and makes them feel special and shows you care.
Get to know the school, staff and faculty. You really don't want to walk around the building asking students where you are, and it helps to plan lessons if you talk with other teachers and staff members-how your students will work, where you can get resources, etc.
Find out what you're teaching- it's better to know what you're doing in the fall rather than the day before you go into your student teaching. You can plan and start gathering materials and lesson ideas from peers and other teachers.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
UNIT PLAN! The more details you put into your unit plan, the easier your life will be. It may seem like a huge pain at the time, but when spring comes, you'll have some worksheets to use, and test materials. Even if you don't end up teaching your unit, you'll have the lesson plans for the future.
Inquiry- it's really important to learn what inquiry is and how you can include it in your lessons.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
...in the middle school: learned more about the students' interests so I could apply their interests with my lessons.
...in the high school: met more of the staff and learned the layout of the school so I would not feel so awkward sometimes asking for help with my lessons.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Have fun, don't stress, breathe! At times you'll feel super overwhelmed, but just remember that you have the skill set to be the teacher in the classroom. You are the one in charge, you're the one with all the knowledge and resources, and you are the one who is in charge of showing students how great science is. Enjoy your time in the fall because when spring comes, you will be a teacher 24/5 (save the weekends for yourself) :D Good Luck!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
When student teaching you should be prepared with your lessons (as seminar requires), have a back-up plan, and another back-up plan.
Staying organized is a must.
I would have done an "icebreaker" activity before hand to get to know the students.
In the fall, when I observed, I would have focused more on the class environment and student needs rather than the lesson planning. Although I did not ignore it, I was nervous and wanted to make sure I was prepared. Knowing your students is probably as important as teaching your lessons.
Also, it would not have hurt if I had started putting together my wadrobe in the fall. Maybe one outfit every week or two would have helped ease my mind.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
For me, anticipating the "Learning from Assessment" activity would have helped me plan. I could have been thinking of different ideas for inquiry and different ways to assess students in advance.
I suggest having your own grading program before you start.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
...not had to work.
...expected the humor of the teenagers.
...not been so shy at first.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Always keep extra copies of everything, you never know when you will need them. You never know what could happen. I have found that with excessive absenteeism and suspensions you may need to have work ready for students at any time.
Bring an extra pair of shoes with you just in case!!!!!! Be prepared, be positive, be responsible.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
In the fall, as I was going to my placement and observing my teacher, I mainly focused on the EDC 430 journal observation assignment at hand. I would suggest that future student teachers use some of this observing time to try and form relationships with their cooperating teacher, the students, and even other teachers and faculty. Follow your cooperating teacher around and learn what she knows, even basic tasks such as how to use the copier. Notice how he/she handles any issues within the classroom, and be ready to adapt to their rules and policies, as they will soon be your own. All these things will make the transition easier, and less awkward.
Besides that, the other HUGE suggestion I was going to make was to plan. Seeing that almost everyone in the previous years suggested this, I won't go into too much detail, but future student teachers should take the hint. Seriously, don't procrastinate. See it as an additional 430 assignment, to make a couple lessons a month. Upon meeting your C.T. kindly inquire about a curriculum outline and together decide what unit you will come in on, and leave on, so that you can begin preparing accordingly. Even if it's just making the powerpoint slides for the notes, or note outlines (whatever you plan use), this will help a ton!
There just isn't enough time during the week when you're waking up at 5 am, leaving school between 4-6 pm, grading papers, packing the next day's lunch, ironing your outfit, etc... to make a lesson plan, or any activities. For this reason it's really important that you PLAN AND CREATE YOUR LESSONS/ACTIVITIES AHEAD OF TIME.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Work on lesson plans! Be familiar with all the topics covered in the other 430 assignments. Print out the Science GSE's and put a printout in your teaching materials. This will be helpful when making sure the content you cover and the lessons you plan, are addressing the RI standards for the projected grade level you will be teaching. Also, get familiar with learning objectives, and how to write them using higher level questioning, as you will be doing this for all of your lesson plans. Also, become comfortable with a lesson plan outline that falls somewhere in between the short-form and long-form that you can use to outline your daily lesson plans.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Not only "planned" what I was going to do, but actually worked through each lesson and created everything needed for them. I also would have saved money!! Driving 45 minutes to and from Westerly everyday in a jeep, without a job, was extremely painful. I go through a half tank of gas in about 2 days. Filling up twice a week definitely adds up, so I wish I had saved enough money to account for this extra expense.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Everything I've said above pretty much addresses what I would pass on.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Some things to take full advantage of for your fall practicum to make student teaching go more smoothly are: creating a good working relationship with your cooperating teacher, getting to know your students as much as possible, getting from your CT the topics of lessons that you will be teaching (while your student teaching) and keep tabs with them to see where they will be when you take over, have a general idea of what you will be teaching and start to play around or look into activities in addition to your unit plan, get all the books, teacher resources etc that the teacher uses to see what you can and will be able to use while your teaching and familiarize yourself even start to find cool things that you like and can see yourself teaching. Also, scope out the technology that you will have access to which will help you start to think about what you can use and how you will use them to teach.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I missed a good part of 430 because I had a baby so I am not well prepared to answer this. Just make sure that you have a good, thoughtful and thorough unit plan and look at the things I talked about above.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
My ipad, which I got and it was such an amazing tool!!!!!!!!!!!!! Use evernote to help plan and organize schedules/lessons. I was always two weeks ahead or tried to be so I knew where I was going and what I was doing, that way I didnt have to stress about it the week or weekend before, I had everything copied 2 weeks in advance and had everything ready and organized. Better to be over-prepared than underprepared. Kids also like to waste time or they have questions and you can find yourself with the period over and you haven't accomplished everything you wanted try to stay focues and on task but make sure you answer their questions or have them write them down and answer them at another time so you can get through the material.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share? It flys by. I can't believe it. It is a lot of fun and make the most out of it as you can because by the end, your a teacher so take full advantage of the time and assistance you have because once it's your classroom, your it! Be confident, have fun and stay positive.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
The most important thing to make student teaching go more smoothly is to visit the classes you will student teach as much as possible. Spend as much time with the individual classes you will be teaching as you can, the better you know the students, and the more they recognize you as a teacher with the authority and respect of their regular teacher, the smoother the transition will be when you start.
Another thing I would suggest is to arrange with your cooperating teacher(s) to be able to give at least one lesson complete with an assignment that you are responsible for grading to each class you will be teaching in the spring, and then do a reflective piece on it. It helps break the ice, even if it is a few months before you officially take over, the majority of the students will have the opportunity to have at least been exposed to your teaching style and grading policies before you completely take over. It also helps you take that important first step in leading a lesson all by yourself, and it's better to do that in the fall when it is just one or two lessons than in the Spring when it will be every day. Once you do this, take time to reflect about it. Use the reflection questions in the RIDE lesson plan template and really think about the lesson, how it went, what could be better, etc. This is especially helpful if you give that same lesson more than once (giving to each section you will take over) so that you can see the natural process of how you tweak your delivery based on one class's responses.
A third suggestion for the fall would be to look at the school calendar, figure out the timeframe you will be in the class with the students, and then look at the curriculum the CT has planned. Do not just focus on the unit you write for 430, but make sure you fully understand the units preceeding and following, because chances are you will be teaching parts, if not all, of those as well. Make sure you understand how the unit you write affects the units that come after it and what groundwork you need to lay for the students to be able to smoothly transition to the next unit. Make sure you understand the timing of school vacations, days off, and when midterms and end of quarters are. These all can impact pacing of a unit, whether because you have to speed it up to finish by a certain date, or build in review to jog the students' memories after a week-long vacation, or any other number of issues related to it. The better you understand the entire curriculum and how the units work together, the easier it will be. You can always have a monkey wrench thrown at you in the form of the school moving the NECAPs up 2 weeks earlier with 3 days notice (just happened here!), and if you have been teaching all along the idea that all these units work together, it will be much easier to adapt and prepare than if you were viewing each as a distinct and separate idea.
A final suggestion would be to ask your CT for a copy of everything. A copy of everything they give to students while you are there, some things they give out on days you are not there, whether electronic or on paper, is worth it's weight in gold. A new teacher, even a seasoned teacher looking for new ideas will beg, borrow, and steal anything they can get their hands on. You may not use it, you may use it and change it, but every little idea is one less you have to search for later. This goes for writing your unit plan as well. Ask your CT for how they carried out the unit in the past, what materials they've used, what concepts they find students have the most difficulty with, what hasn't worked well in the past, what has worked sometimes and not others. You will still need to develop your own unit, but using someone else's knowledge and expertise goes a long way to making it easier.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think some of the most helpful assignments were the ones asking us to watch our CT and how they respond to various things happening in their classroom. If you have more than 1 CT to watch, this is even more helpful. You can see how different teachers respond to similiar situations. The CTs really are the people who set the tone for respect, attention, engagement, and more, in their classroom, and you will just be walking into what is already established. If the room seems easy going and the students well behaved, it's likely due to subtle acts by the CT that you should observe and note, if it seems chaotic that too is cued by the CT.
Obviously the unit plan. But not just do it well to get a grade for 430 but gather as many ideas and materials as possible so that when you actually implement the lesson plan and are in front of real students who do not act or learn as you planned you have other options to fall back on. Build in ways to cover things multiple times/ways so that if something needs to be cut you can, but if you have more time you have more resources. Build in time for review, and make it a game. They love games. But be prepared for them to be petty about it! They hate to lose. Make it a game where they have to get up and move, even if it is because they can only answer certain questions in certain locations --- at least everyone has to get involved. The more effort you put into the unit plan, the easier it will be for you to use it in the classroom, but also know you will likely never use it exactly as written. And remember from above to take into account how that unit fits into the entire year so that you are prepared to teach what comes before and after and help students see how they all link together.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Written more unit plans. Seriously. I stayed at the high school for my entire student teaching, that's a long time with the same people. Sure you have the same slow build up as everyone else, but when they are winding down to move to the next placement and then building up again, you are still plugging along with the same group, same workload. It's a long time, you will be with the first class or 2 you take over for the entire 3rd quarter by yourself, and then some more of the 4th quarter. Think about that, you are solely responsible for at least 1/4 of what they learn in that class in high school -- you better be prepared.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
I suggest having a group of friends, even just 3 or 4, who are also student teaching, and going out for dinner after seminar once every 2 or 3 weeks. It's even better if they aren't science teachers -- you can have friends in science teachers too, but you see them all the time. If you have some cohorts who are teaching different subjects, at different schools, you all can take a minute to unload on each other, share funny/sad/maddening stories and get encouragement from one another. It helps you see that the students really are giving all their teachers hell at times, not just you, not just science. It helps you see the bigger picture as well as what they may be learning in other classes that you can use in your class (I really have done this at times). And most of all it gives you some time to connect with friends and just have fun, something there is never enough time for during student teaching.
If it ever gets too hard, don't hesitate to have a heart to heart talk with your CT and ask for help, or Dr. Fogleman, or another teacher who can give you ideas. They all really do want you to do well and succeed. Don't wait until you hate everyone and they hate you right back, it's too late then! And if you have an especially rough day, or if the students are being especially difficult, remember it's just 1 day, and you can always try again tomorrow, and your CT can always suggest ways to get students to give you their best, whether a new seating arrangement, phrasing questions differently, or taking a break to do a completely different activity for a day.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Develop a strong relationship with your CT. Make sure that you know how they handle problems with students so you can be on the same page as your CT, and know what the school policy is. Ask lots of questions. Teachers are busy and can seem unapproachable, but if you ask questions they will give you answers
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Unit plan, practice forming the good questions you need to ask. It is hard to come up with higher level questions on the spot. When writing your unit plan keep in mind that the lessons need to flow together and build upon one another, ask your CT for advice. Practice judging timing through your lesson plan writing, ask your CT for advice again here. Later you can see how it works out in real practice. Everything takes longer than you think. If you ask your CT for advice you may have less work to do for your unit plan ; ).
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...." paid more attention to classroom management strategies. Every little thing that they do from how they stand, the pacing of the lesson, the classroom environment can all be important in classroom management. If you can't manage your classroom effectively than you will not be able to accomplish anything. Engaging your students is still considered classroom management. Take notes of tricks that you notice your teacher doing, and also ask their opinion about your lesson. Sometimes the smallest thing that they say can make the whole lesson run smoothly.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Remember that you are a new teacher. You need to reflect on what you do often, but take it easy on yourself. You are a student teacher so you can learn.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Get out to the schools as much as you can. This will help you develop a relationship between you and the students and also between you and your CT. Stay on top of all of your work both for your classes and for your placement. Also be on time, always follow thru with what you say you are going to do and ask as many questions as you can. The more you know your CT and your students the better it will be when you begin student teaching.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The unit plan I feel is one of the most important assignments in 430 because if you are able to do it on what you will be teaching it gives you a head start in terms of planning. You also get the chance to share your ideas with your CT and get their feedback as well.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Spent more time getting organized and better managed my time.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share? Find a morning routine that works for you and stick to it. Organization can either cause you stress or take it away, be organized.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
To make student teaching go more smoothly I would find out in the fall an overview of all the units your CT anticipates you will be teaching. Then I would get an idea of some activities and lab's you could use for each topic. Making notes and tests and things is less time consuming and can be done easier while your student teaching than planning elaborate labs. I found that I had the best activities for the unit I made my unit plan for but only because of the time I spent finding good activities. I also found that any notes or tests you make before you really know your students will probably have to be adjusted anyway. b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
In order to prepare for student teaching in EDC 430 I would make sure to spend a lot of time on my unit plan as well as looking at some of the other units your CT anticipates you will be teaching.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
I think one thing that helped me alot for student teaching was spending as much time as possible in the classroom during fall semester. This allows you to get to know your students as much as possible before you begin teaching them. It also allows the students to get to know you which helps alot with the transition from their regular teacher to you. This helps a lot because if the students see you alot (go to after school activities to!) because then they know you care and you will be less likely to have classroom management problems. d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Form a good relationship with your CT in the fall. My CT and I got along great but I heard from others that they did not get along with their CT and that it made student teaching very difficult.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Go as much as you can because the more you get adjusted to the daily schedule, daily procedures within the school, and more importantly you will strengthen your relationships with your cooperating teacher and students. The more everyone within the school gets familiar with you, the more comfortable you will be with everyone. When attending your schools as much as possible, you get to see the style of teaching that your cooperating teacher uses within their classrooms and the style of teaching that your future students are use to and are comfortable with during their school days. I would also suggest that students teach lessons within the fall in order to get experience with their specific classes. When teaching a lesson in the fall, you can get tips from your cooperating teacher that will help you in the spring. Teaching these lessons will also give you experience when planning class days and managing activities that fit for a particular curriculum.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Topics include the planning process, safety within a classroom, as well as engagement with your students. The planning process is vital in the spring, so any experiences you can get in the fall leading up to student teaching will be a great help. With the planning process, organization and time management are also important factors that help develop lessons and create supplemental materials. The unit plan is also a great help because the more effort and time that is put into this project in the fall, the more realistic it is to use these materials in the spring. Safety is also an important topic because when planning laboratory activities, keeping in mind what safety precautions that need to be addressed in order for students to be in a safe environment will in the management of behavior that may arise.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
If I had known more information about some of the inclusion classes within my class schedule, specifically with IEP accommodations and modifications, it would have helped prepare for when planning lessons.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Have the mindset of always getting better every day. Be humble and have fun.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
In the fall semester try to spend AS MUCH time as possible in your given placement. Get to know your cooperating teachers! Spend time after school talking with them and learning about their teaching philosophies and their "style". Talk with them about what they expect from you and what the student teaching experience will look like. Be open about all of these things and establish a plan. Also, get to know the students in the fall. They love it when you learn their names really quickly. You can develop personal bonds with them in your practicum that will make you job much easier in the spring. If they like you and respect you BEFORE you start student teaching than you are starting 5 steps in front of everyone else.
If possible, also ask your CT about where in the book they think they will be come February. If you have time, start planning! Start thinking about lessons and mini-labs, start preparing notes and/or powerpoints. This will definitely help you when you start student teaching because you won't need to reinvent the wheel every night before class. These suggestions will help make student teaching a little less stressful and more enjoyable.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Definitely spend a lot of time on your unit plan. This assignment definitely helps you learn about what it takes to put together a "unit". You will need to make many of these during your student teaching experience and with experience they get easier and easier. I would also put a lot of effort into developing your teaching philosophy. Its good to just sit back for a moment and think about what "type" of teacher you want to be and how you want to run your classroom. With a firm grasp of who you are as a teacher it will be easier to manage your classrooms in the spring.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
I would have prepared notes/powerpoints for the chapters that I would be covering during student teaching. Therefore, I would have had these completed before even starting student teaching. This would have alleviated a big task from my to do list and I could have concentrated more on developing effective and engaging lessons and mini labs.
I would also have decided to not have 3 different preps. I taught 4 classes (3 different subjects) and thus had to prepare three different setps of things. With classes at URI and work on the weekends this was a heavy load throughout the semester. I think 4 classes with 2 preps or 3 classes with 2 preps would be a good/ manageable amount.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Student teaching is a great experience that you will never forget! Enjoy it! Take the opportunity to grow as a teacher and learn from the more experienced teachers around you. Try out new strategies and reflect upon whether or not they work. Don't be afraid to take chances! This is the perfect time for you to experiment and figure out what works for you!
Also, don't be afraid to ask your CT for help! They are there for you and want to help you. If you are feeling burnt out and stressed ask them if they have plans that you can use. They are more than willing to help out.
Finally, make sure that everyone you meet and everyone you associate with at your student teaching placement (including your CT, students, administrators, janitors, etc) have a possible feeling about you. If everything goes well, your placement could end up being your place of future employment. If everyone is impressed with you it will be much easier for you to get a job there than for you to get a job elsewhere.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
There are many things that I wish I knew to "smooth" out my student teaching, but the most easily achieved in the fall is to know the building. Know the layout. Where are stairs located, the cafeteria, guidance, the main office, the nurse and both student and staff bathrooms. I was not familiar with the building until my second month teaching, which is one of my regrets. I would also suggest knowing about the school policies concerning detentions, lateness, maximum number of abscences, etc. BEFORE the students ask. My CT was very well versed in what to do if students were late so I did not have an issue with this, but when students ask about a policy and you have to ask your CT you end up looking like you will never enforce consequences and they will be left to the CT.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think that classroom observations about the CT and their behavior were the most beneficial. At the beginning of the semester I followed the classroom management strategies of my CT, without being a "clone", and the students responded extremely well. I gradually added in more of my own behaviors as I saw necessary, but being able to keep the structure of the classroom since September was helpful for me and the students. I also think this is going to help my CT when I leave so she is not left with a classroom that needs to start re-learning her classroom style.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
...kept on top of my organization. I am still trying to figure out the folders that contain my copies, copies going to the CT, answer keys, extra handouts for students, etc. This can get very confusing...especially with more than one prep. Don't be shy to ask your CT if there is a place for you to store any documents. I spent about two or three weeks hauling everything with me because I did not want to intrude on her classroom. This was a huge pain...pun intended.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Don't be afraid to try things out! I have tried many things in my class, both that have worked and failed miserably, and do not regret any of it. I was able to test labs that I thought were great and learn how to recover when a lesson turns into a class of 25 blank stares. The most important thing is to make sure your CT is agreeing with you. I am completely for trying new ideas with classes...but not if my CT said no. Trust the judgement of your CT and always ask advice. My CT has years of experience both as a classroom teacher and as a CT, which was helpful for me in both regards. I was able to ask advice on teaching the students and on the mistakes and achievements of former student teachers. A CT is your best resource in student teaching and I hope that everyone reading this maintains as good of a relationship with theirs as I was able to create with mine.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
When you go to your placement in the fall, do not do what you may have done in 415 or 430 and just sit back and watch. You wont learn much. try to get your CT's lessons and try and teach one or two yourself, it will be a bit harder than it looks. Watch your teacher the first time and teach the second. You really need to actually try it before you will really know how to plan it. Also, find out what you will be teaching before winter break. You don't need to make lesson plans, but gather as many resources, worksheets, readings, etc. It was a real pain trying to find everything in crunch time.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Unit plan assignment. I must have looked back at my own unit plan as well as others 1000 times. If you do it well your class mates do it well you may have very little to plan. (It's all posted up on the wiki so why not use it?)
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Again collecting materials. I really didn't realize how annoying and time consuming making a simple punnett square worksheet could be. Even if you make one once a week, you will be so happy when it's time to use it. Also read as much as you can about your topics. It stinks when you walk in half way through a topic in a class of honors students and they know more then you do becuase you haven't thought about evolution since BIO 101.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Give someone detention after a week, in the nicest most resonable way you can because they need to believe you can do it. If it is classroom managment your worried about, you wont have to after being the jerk. Personally, I am always very lienant, Its just my personality but as they slowly make their way back to talkers I give one more detention and boom no more disuptions for weeks. (This is a middle school strategy I used. Detentions were lunch detentions eating lunch with me and it took no extra time off me or a administrator, so everyone but the student is happy.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Practice lessons at home. Complete a "teacher's copy" of any lesson that you plan to give. This helps you identify any typos or misconceptions that students might uncover throughout the lesson. It also gives you a grid to follow when grading student work.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The format of developing lesson plans. Although I was always against the idea of using them, I realized that they are super helpful in time management. Typed out lesson plans give you the opportunity ensure that you "cover-all-the-bases". It also gives your the opportunity to list all of the possible materials and modifications that you may need to make for different classes.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Practiced lesson plans at home before I conducted them. I would have been much more savvy in the area of time management.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Try not to stress too much. You CAN do this. Keep a level head and never be afraid to reach out for advice or criticism BEFORE you give a lesson. Remember that you are a student teacher. No one expects you to be amazing at this right away.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Continue to go to your placement after the semester is over. Don't disappear after the last day of URI classes in december. Go to your placement at least weekly if not more until you start your student teaching. It will create a good impression and the students will know you better and be used to seeing you
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
None, just make sure to do them all
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Planned better. It is so important to plan your lessons a week or two ahead of time. I know it sounds ridiculous but if you have your two week outline your will you will be golden. This saved me during a critical point in my student teaching experience. My CT had a death in the family and was out for two weeks. Fortunately we had planned out two weeks ahead of time. It made the two weeks go smoothly and allowed me to adjust daily without feeling overwhelmed. As long as you keep with it and stay a head of the game you will love your student teaching experience. This is also why you should go to your placement up until the week you start. This way you will know exactly what is going on.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Even if you get a placement your are not crazy about or a CT you don't love, look at it as a challenge and not a road block. Keeping a positive attitude will help you get through this experience with grace and ease.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Go to your CT's classroom as often as you can in the Fall.
Get to know your CT's style of teaching. Find out how much liberty you will have with creating and implementing lessons.
Find out what your CT will expect from you as their student teacher.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
START YOUR UNIT PLAN EARLY!
Do not wait for Dr. Fogleman to talk about it.
Look at other people's unit plans and begin as soon as you know what you will be teaching.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Known more tricks of the trade. Learn different methods of introducing topics and creating activities. If you have good CT's, you will learn lots from them. Go to their classrooms early in the fall and go often.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Don't panic! Your CT (most likely) will not expect you to create all new lessons. They will share their materials with you.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
HAVE A PLAN
ORGANIZATION
MAKE CONNECTIONS
You can't plan to teach a lesson without seeing the big picture of what is involved in your unit plan. Take main Concepts and branch out. Help yourself see the big picture. If you can't see it or have trouble seeing it, your students will have trouble too.
Once you develop a plan, get organized. Break each concept into chunks that address learning objectives. Design your lessons based on these learning objectives. Once you know what the learning goals are, you can develop activities/lessons that address such concepts to be learned. Once your activities and lessons are in place, make a schedule...a realistic one. One that allows for flexibility and change. This will alleviate stress for you because you will be sure to come across schedule changes in the school and classroom.
Making connections to students is a big part of them understanding science and especially the world around them. I found that linking each lesson with the previous one gave students a better understanding of what we were actually doing. This helped paint the big picture for them.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think the unit plan is a big part of this class. Don't try to tackle the unit plan in one shot. This takes a considerable amount of time, research and preparation. Try to possibly connect with your CT before your student teaching begins if at all possible to know what the "plan" is for when you arrive. This way, you can better prepare yourself especially if your doing a unit you are not comfortable with or don't have experience teaching.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
given my CT a survey to fill out...just kidding! It's very hard to do your thing when someone else does their thing differently than you. IT"S OK to be who you are! That's what make you...YOU! Do what you do and do it the best you can.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Be confident. It's very hard to be confident when your CT knows EVERYTHING about everything. Sometimes, you may feel intimidated, but I think that's a normal feeling and that knowledge comes with years of teaching experience. Don't expect to know everything during your student teaching. Remember...this is a learning experience.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Take time and step out of your comfort zone to actually try and teach a few lessons before you get into the full swing of student teaching in the Spring. It can be so tough and nerve wracking when you have never taught a lesson before. Middle school aged kids never have seems so intimidating, so take the plunge! Once you get your first one over with you will feel so much more at ease when you have to begin doing it every day.
Prepare yourself to be an adult for the next four months in the Spring of your senior year. No one wants to do it but thats what you signed up for. If you can handle going out during the week, do it up. BUT, in my experience I was not as capable a teacher or as prepared when I did this. So start your Spring right by going to bed early, waking up early, because getting up that early regularly is literally the worst thing ever.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
How to prepare a lesson that you are capable of teaching. There are a whole lot of lessons that you will not be able to pull of. Start slow and be easy on yourself. Over time you can progress and start to get crazy with your lesson planning.
You need to be able to understand the concept before you teach it. Which often means reteaching yourself something you learned when you were in 6th, 11th or in college. In order to fake that you know what you are talking about, you actually need to somewhat know what you are talking about. Fake it till you make it, and you will make it out alive.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Taught lessons prior to actually getting into the classroom in January. Its a horrible, gut wrenching thing the first time you know you have to stand up and lead a lesson for an hour. Just do it. It will not be as bad as you think it will be. I guarantee it.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
You may not know what you are doing, but the students have no idea that is the case. Just go up there, act confident, and get through your first few lessons. After that it becomes much easier. You aren't supposed to know what you are doing yet, that comes with time.
If you don't know the answer to a question, either give your best response, or tell them to look it up for homework. But make sure that when they come back with the answer you know the answer as well.
You aren't going to end these kids dreams of going to college if you have a horrible lesson or day. They are kids, and realistically this learning thing is the least of their concerns. So relax, try to enjoy it, and have fun.
Kids love to laugh, be funny. You don't have to plan out jokes, but if something comes to mind, let it rip (insert fart joke). See, its easy!
Go out on the weekends, you deserve it.
e. Make sure Dr. Fogleman teaches you to...
Write a resume.
Get a job.
Hit the mews early, because the food at happy hour on Fridays goes fast!
For next year make sure that you are organized. If you keep it together you will be fine. Dont put all your time into lesson planning if I were to put extra time somewhere I would say questioning. Its tough to think of them off the top of your head. Also, dont let them get to you, just shake it off, and do a little complaining it helps. They are all good kids some are just a pain sometimes. All in all have fun becuase it can be a blast you just got to go for it and they will love you.
- Don't be afraid to stray away from "your schedule" or plans. It's incredibly difficult to predict the pacing, as teaching is unpredictable.
- Smile, it never goes unnoticed.
- Care about your presentation - sloppy teachers have a more difficult time gaining respect.
- Write your schedule on the board, but leave a mystery in the message - it will keep the guessing and interested in what's next.
- Engage in their worlds - school is never the only thing on their plate.
- Emphasize the fact that you are still learning - students appreciate when someone can admit their faults or shortcomings. You're not perfect, don't pretend you are.
- Put your school stuff in your backpack and don't touch it when you leave on Friday - your time is important.
- GO ON FIELD TRIPS IF YOU CAN. Period.
- Be open to communication, always.
- Be yourself - not your CTs.
- Communicate with your CTs often.
- Observe as much as you can, whenever you can.
- Take constructive feedback - it's not criticism, everyone is on your side and wants you to succeed.
- Go to bed before 10:30 & pick your outfit out the night before - the wardrobe and dressing like a teacher can be a challenge sometimes. Make it easy for yourself!
- Pack a lunch you can look forward to; it makes the day so much better when you have a good, satisfying lunch.
- Check your e-mail... a lot.
- Speak their language - if your young, don't hide it. Kids like knowing you're human.
- Stay mostly on top of your planning & grade quickly.
- BRING IN FOOD. Always a highlight and a way to get students engaged.
- Find your time or space - a way to stay centered, calm and healthy.
- Make yourself proud & don't quit.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Get involved in the classroom. This doesn't mean that you have to take on the task of teaching full lessons. Ask your CT if there are any small activities you can help with or take the lead on. I did some simple things like leading a ten minute discussion on an article that the students had read for homework, By becoming active in the classroom a little in the fall it shows the students that you are on your way to becoming an active member of their classroom.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Try your best to make your 430 unit plan focus on a topic that you will be covering in the classroom in the spring. Whether it is for high school or middle school this will help you be more confident in the content that you will be teaching. Even if you don't use the unit plan in your student teaching, writing the unit plan helps refresh the content.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Asked my CT for a copy of the grade book. Having a place of your own to record grades seems like a small thing but it isn't. It is much easier to keep track of student work when you have your own way of keeping record of things. This will help keep you on track and organized when students hand in work.
I also suggest getting into some type of basic health/fitness routine. I didn't have the time (or energy) to work out every day but I did yoga once a week at the gym. I forced myself to make sure that no matter how busy I got I would make time to go to the yoga class. It helped keep me sane.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
KNOW YOUR CONTENT!! At the middle school level it is a little easier to refresh your memory on the science content you haven't seen in a while. At the high school level it is tougher. Let's face it. At the college level the science classes that we have all been taking are much more in depth and in concentrated areas, whereas in schools you have to cover a broader range of topics. This can be challenging depending on where your strengths lie. Talk to your CT early in the fall so that you can have an idea on what specific units you will be covering. When you are confident in your content knowledge, the rest of teaching is much easier.
SLEEP. Get your rest. Somehow I made it through student teaching without catching a sniffle but I made it a point to try and get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.
e. Make sure Dr. Fogleman teaches you to...
Remember the importance of planning lessons ahead of time.
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
In the fall, spend as much time in the classroom as you can. Don't worry about simply meeting your required amount of hours; go BEYOND them. This is especially true if you are completing Middle School Endorsement because your time in each place will feel so short. Being in the classroom so much will allow you to connect with your CT and your students earlier on, which makes teaching them go much more smoothly when the pressure is actually on.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
As much as possible, students should try to get a feel for what it is that they'll be teaching in the spring, and make sure they really know the content. You don't want to waste time learning that content in the spring when you should instead concentrate on the best way to teach it.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
If I had a better idea of the extracurricular activities students did at school, I feel as though I could have made even deeper connections with my students. I felt like my greatest strength as a student teacher was fostering deep personal connections with the students I taught. The more I got to know them, the better they seemed to commit to the activities and other things I would present to them in class. I would have liked to have been more involved in extracurricular activities at my middle school placement in particular.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Do whatever you can to make connections with your students. This was my greatest strength as a student teacher. Find out their interests, ask them questions, and learn their names as fast as you possibly can. Get them to fill out index cards with their name, nicknames, and three interesting things about them. Leave space on their tests where they can doodle if they finish early. Get involved in extracurricular activities, especially in areas you have skill or interest in too. Play a quick name game with them at the start of your first few classes - it shows them you know their names, and if you don't they'll have a good time raking you over the coals for it (have a thick skin about it!) Come up with projects that allow them to put their personal stamp on things. Come up with amusing nicknames for them if you think they'll find the nickname amusing too. You will be floored at how much more they'll be ready to commit to you in the classroom.
e. Make sure Dr. Fogleman teaches you to...
Come up with teacher evaluation assignments (like the mini-SLO) in the fall rather than the spring, where there is more time to set up assignments and complete them.
Correspond with concerned parents via email.
Teach and emphasize the importance and boons of making connections with students.
At the end of their student teaching last spring, students were asked to share some of what they learned about the process with those that are following in their footsteps, i.e. YOU. There is a good bit of wisdom here. I would encourage you to read their messages closely and make some notes to yourselves about how you want to engage in your Fall coursework. Next Spring, I will ask you to pass some of what you have learned backwards as well. -
Wisdom from 2008
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
The 2 main things that I would inform them, is:
1. Really work on their lesson plans and how to use time within a class period. At first it was difficult for me to plan the 77 minute block schedule because I was used to 40-50 minute periods. I would sometime end much earlier than expected, so I would say to always OVER prepare and have more material than you think you could cover. This way, if things move along quite fast, you aren't left with nothing to do for the rest of the day, which helps out classroom management as well. If they are busy, there is less chance of them to act up.
2. Another thing I would advise is to really work on classroom managemnet strategies. It is one thing to learn about them, then a complete other thing to implement it!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I would say to prepare your unit plan thoughtfully and carefully! It is a great time saver when you are actually teaching, and an oppurtunity to prepare a great unit that you could get feedback on as well before you teach.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Really worked on classroom managent skills more. You could be very skilled in your content area, but can't get that across to the students if you can't control them!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
I would say to make sure not to be their friend. It is so easy to get caught up in the whole concept of having your students like you, but this could lead to poor classroom management and the students feeling like they can get away with things they normally wouldn't. You could always start strict then loosen up, but it is much much much more difficult to start nice and easy going then try to get stricter. Often, they don't take you being strict seriously after being easy going for so long!
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
- Some assignments that students must know what is precisely expected of them are the 'learning goals' and lesson plans they must create for the MAJOR unit plan. I would have to say that the unit plan completely overpowers all other assignments as there are so many parts to it. However, with persistence it can be done! I worked close to 40 hours on mine and I feel that I came out on top. However, most students, including myself, have never been expected to work that hard on any project in their entire academic career. So with that said, students should make sure to ask questions, ask questions and ask even more questions when it comes to these assignments that are a huge component of their learning about education and preparation for student teaching!
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
I found that knowing my CT's routine and incorporating it into my instruction helped me out in the spring because the students react better when you make your routine somewhat like the teacher's. It was also helpful teaching as few lessons to the classes before student teaching. Even if they were short mini lessons it gets you comfortable in front of the students and it also gets the students comfortable with you teaching because they start to get used to you being front and center in to the class.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think being organized with lesson planning was key to being prepared for student teaching. Also, creating your unit plan on the topics you are going to teach is really helpful because you have all of your sheets and ideas planned out and all they need is a little tweaking. It becomes a lot harder when having to start everything from scratch.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Made my unit plan on a topic that i was going to be teaching during my student teaching.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Make sure that you are very thorough in preparing your unit. The biggest problem is that you may feel that your unit is teachable, but once you begin teaching, you quickly realize that things need to be thought out and detailed even more.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The creation of the unit plan. If you have good lessons prepared ahead of time, you can minimize begining student teacher stress.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
...more practice dealing with classroom management. The actual teaching is not to difficult, but really learning how to control a room full of teenagers can only be learned through experience. Nothing we ever talked about in class prepared me.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Best of luck! Student teaching is just one of those things that you have to survive during the process, but then you look back at it in the end and say "man, I really did it!"
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Start learning student names during your observations - especially if you're getting a Middle Level Endorsement. About the time you learn all their names, you're leaving and going on to your second student-teaching placement. The students like to know that you know their name (most of the time!)
Ask your cooperating teacher for his/her syllabus and keep it in a safe place. You'll need it!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Topic: Classroom Management - there are alsways students who will have sidebar conversations - in oral, electronic or written form - while you're trying to concentrate on delivery of content. The bottom line is this: if they're not listening, it doesn't matter how well you deliver the material. (All the hours you spent preparing...)
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
over-planned classroom activities!"
You can always omit an activity if time runs out.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Remember that you are teaching kids and that they will make mistakes. Remember that you, too, are still learning, and will make mistakes.
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Create a pattern for yourself in terms of being organized and always completing assignments (that are for the students) ahead of time. Also, establish a good line of communication immediately with your cooperating teacher.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Create a unit that you know for a fact you will be able to teach during your student teaching. Confirm all of the material in your unit way ahead of time with your cooperating teacher.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
established firm classroom rules during my first week of student teaching (in the high school).
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Definitely create and maintain a certain pattern in your teaching so that you and the students have a familiar way to go about learning each new concept. For example, start with the background knowledge (some notes), show video streams or models for reinforcement, then move on to students being actively engaged in learning (activities, group work etc). Finally, have review sessions and "Q & A" before any assessments. Also, always try to be creative in your ways of delivering information. Students really like to be physically involved (even if it's something like using colored pencils to draw illustrations for concepts being learned). Enjoy and have fun with it, it'll be a really special time in your life!
a. What are some things students can do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Spend as much time in the classroom with your CT as you can. Find out if you two are compatible with each other or do you clash. If you clash I recommend asking for a new CT. One that will work with you and also one that your personality and styles don’t clash. If they clash your students teaching time will not be a fun one.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Get a list of what you will be teaching from your CT so you can make your unit plan for your student teaching. This is what I did and it made my first month extremely smooth. Just don’t make your unit plan make as many lesson plans and worksheets as possible the first semester. Then while your students teaching you can just fill in the blanks and modify the lessons instead of creating them from scratch.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Listen to Jay on my lesson plans and also spent more time in the classroom working with the students before I started teaching.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Keep your head up. Keep everything positive. As soon as you start seeing the glass as half empty everything will fall apart. Always remember the glass is half full.
Wisdom from 2009
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
1. Get a routine set up for getting up, being prepared, getting meals ready, exercising! and even planning in free time to catch up on work or on things you neglect for yourself. Even in the school having a set routine ready (days to stay after, when is the best time for you to be able to get work done ect.) can help you transition into the patteren for your teaching. If you already know that its easiest for you to make a big meal sunday to have leftover for lunches all week, you can set it up to have it in the fridge packaged so all you have to do each morning is grab the next tupperware container all week long. Getting exercise in can be hard but fitting in 20 min a day (even if it is just to walk to hill to the night class!) then do it because being physically fit helps you handle things mentally too! Planning in the spare time gives you wiggle room if something doesn't go as planned or on the off chance everything goes perfect to enjoy some free time!
2. Tap your resources! If you know current teachers, or past teachers start talking to them now and keeping them up to date on how you are doing. When you feel stuck or have a problem you don't know how to handle, give these resources a call! Most of these people in and out of the school want to help you out! Meet and greet the teachers you will not only work with in a team or hallway setting, but also the ones you meet in the office or lounge! They are not out to get you and they know what it is like to teach.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I am not sure this assignment was great for my student teaching in particular but it is the one I found to overall help me. The teaching rationale made me think, about teaching and why I am doing it. By keeping this in mind while I was observing, aiding, teaching, and ultimately as I am applying for jobs I have a sense that I am doing the right thing for me. Selfish sounding but in knowing I am doing the right thing I have the confidence to feel I am doing a the best job I can with my students and fellow teachers. This idea of why I was teaching got me through some rough spots all semester teaching and learning. I feel it will also help me as I go out on interviews and job hunts too. While not as practacle sounding as 'do your unit plan!' I felt this helped me more. The lesson plan, while on a topic I was going to teach, went almost complately out the window after I had been teaching a few days! You never know what is going to happen but knowing why you are doing something can keep you going on and on.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
been more experienced handling such a large group of students at once on my own. I have worked with students and learners before but always in smaller groups or with other people. The management of such a large group can be frustrating but keeping your cool works well and knowing as many strategies as possible helps too. When one way failed I moved on to the next and kept on trying. Sometimes you need to have patience and stick to your guns! If you say you are going to give them a detention, or pop quiz if they continue bad behavior be prepared to really do it! If you don't you will end up in a hole you can't get out of. While I don't feel I had a hard time as a whole, there are a few students I really wish I could have reached better, and managed better than I have. While what I did worked I also feel that it didn't really get through to them.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Plan ahead! This way you have the next assignment/activity ready to go if you have extra time. If it takes you too long you can always skip somehting or add it in to another day but you always need extra material ready. I usually had at least one week planned, coppied, and materials organized so I could litterally walk along the desk and pick up the next thing to do. Having small assingments for anytime helps too! Little games/activities/ even bonus point assignments make for great fillers. I never felt overwhelmed when I got through a lesson too quick simeply because I knew I had something else I could pull out (to the students dismay usually!). While planning ahead does not protect you from everything it certailny helps you feel more relaxed and less stressed as the days go by.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Plan, Plan, Plan! I would recommend asking your CT if they have a schedule planned for the year. If so kindly request a copy of it. Then over winter break start writing lesson plans. Try to write as many as you can! you don't want to have to think about writting them while you are teaching. You want to think how you are going to modify them and make them better.
If you are having trouble at your placement, academic or behavioral get Moe or Jay in their A.S.A.P. They can give you information that will get you back on track with your class. This also keeps them informed of the challenges you are having and will look better if they understand what is going on during an evaluation.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
You should elaborate more on Formal and Informal Lesson Plans. I the students are going to complete a Unit Plan they should have to submit the one lesson plan a week or bi-weekly. This should keep them on schedule.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
"If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...." knew more classroom management skills / Tricks. This would have helped a lot. I would also work on getting passwords to school computers/ printers and any online grading systems. I often had to print a handout and went to a computer lab to only have 30 perfectly capable computers mok me because I did not have a password.
I hate to say it, but Hang Em' High A.S.A.P. You need to set an example quickly and follow through with your rules. Being a science teacher, you have the advantage of students thinking you're crazy to begin with. Keep up the act even if you are not. If they think you are a little off your rocker it can be to your advantage.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Congratulations you have served your time or will soon serve your time. For most I would say student teaching is one of the most difficult parts of your undergraduate degree. You will be getting up at about between 5:00 - 6:00am every morning for the next 14 weeks. I would recommend adjusting your sleep patterns during winter break to ease the transition. I would also try to get into an exercise routine that you can stick to. Exercise will help you throughout student teaching. It will relieve stress and make up for your lack of movement. Despite being on your feet all day you are not burning as many calories as you would like. I would also recommended a water bottle. Talking all day makes you very thirsty and you will not have time to drink as much water as you would like. The lucky thing about being in science is that we have sinks in our class to fill said water bottles up.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Study your unit and know the inside and outside of the units. Break it into an outline or concept map and use that to help guide you for the spring.
Learn all students names during the observation period. Students respect you more if they know that you care enough to learn names.
Observe your COOPERATING TEACHER, not the students. If you do not feel like you can embrace your cooperating teacher's methods in the classroom, consider getting a new CT. I spent much time observing students, but not too much observing my CT. It may be an easy way to avoid catastrophe in the spring.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Classroom management:
"Acting" is a good strategy to get students to listen to you. My CT advised me to pick a movie/TV star "stern/tough" personality and act their role in the classroom. Apparently, high school students actually fall for this trick and you can secretly have fun.
Communication between your CT:
Talk about specific ways to communicate with your CT, such as weekly meetings, summaries of their expectations, or any feedback that you can get from them.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
...Not smiled. Not laughed & been really tough the first two weeks of student teaching. I feel this might have been an easy way to conquer the first stages of good classroom management.
...not spent so much time self-analyzing and picking apart my lessons. Just teach. Just grade how you planned to grade. Just embrace what you did. There is always room for improvement next time. If I had spent that "nit-pick" time creating tests and quizzes I could have made my CT happier and had EVIDENCE of my hard work.
...spoken up and asked for a new CT when I felt like I was struggling to teach how my teacher wanted me to teach and I could not embrace it.
... had a weekly meeting with my CT to make sure communication was good.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
As a student, you will be required to do what your CT asks when it comes to teaching and assessments. If you can not embrace this, find a teacher with whom you can. Student teaching and collaborating with my CT is one of the hardest things I have ever done. Set things straight with your CT in the beginning. If surprises come up, address them address them address them immediately with all URI professors and CTs. Know that your CT has the power to voice their concerns to any person in authority, and so do you. Communication is KEY with your CT. Stick up for yourself if miscommunication does occur.
In student teaching, you are likely to fail 10,000 times, but for each failure, you will learn twice as much. Stay positive by loving your time spent with the students. The students are the reason why you are there. If all else fails, focus your efforts on providing them with the best instruction you can offer! You cannot loose sight of things if you stay focused on being the best teacher for your students you can be. You are their teacher and you have a teacher's responsibilities now, even if your CT gives the final say in instruction. Good luck and remember, even if your students see you as a teacher, you are not one yet. Most importantly, you are still the student and will be scaffolded in the ways your CT desires. Recognize your role and do what you can with it.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Learn strong organizational skills. The more organized you are the less time you will need to spend on it. Your CT will notice it, and will feel like you can handle the responsibility, and will give you more freedom. Save everything in your binder. My anal CT loves the fact that I can pull out the data from last years NECAP test results and show her where students had trouble answering certain questions. Build relationships with the students. It isn't your show yet, but you can at least make the students feel like they can relate to you, ask you questions, and think that you are a knowledgable and smart teacher whom they can go to.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The unit plan. This was a necessary overemphasis on writing and developing a unit plan, that will mirror what you will be doing in ST. Even though I look back at it now as a plan with parts that are very flawed and inconcievable, it was practice that was necessary for my development.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Been a little bit more organized, brought the hammer down on that one horrific class a little earlier, and didn't try to make a huge difference in a few kids with only 7 weeks of time to do it in.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
As much as you might want to be a teacher who wants to make an impact on students, 7 weeks is not enough time to do it in. Also, the behavioral issues of the students you will meet are a part of a system that was already in place before you walked into the door. Do not stress too much if your students are inconsiderate, and disrespectful. You will one day have your own classroom where you can have your own set of rules, do your own thing, and manage the classroom to your standards, not someone else's.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
The most important preparation you can have is to know where you stand on things. By this I mean you need to set up some rules for classroom behavior and management. While you will likely follow your CT’s classroom rules, you still need to provide a structured set of rules that your students know you will follow.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The most important thing to pay attention to is management strategies, no one walks into a classroom and has it all figured out day one. If you can control your classroom however the other stuff all will develop smoothly.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Started all my classes by letting the students know my rules and expectations for classroom conduct. I was blessed in that I had two CT’s who liked to leave the room often this made my job more challenging yet the lessons learned where invaluable. I now realize that students will feel you out to find out how much they can get away with from day one and if you let it go they will just get worse searching for your “line.” So day one let them know where the line is and what happens if they cross it and the most important bit of advise is don’t ever threaten a punishment that you are not planning on implementing.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Relax while student teaching is just as much work as we make it sound it is also a lot of fun and the best learning experience you will ever be involved with. Student teaching is hard because it is worth it. Remember it is your CT’s classroom and while they are there your life will be easy but be sure to take risks if they never leave you alone in the room politely ask them to. When they do, you will see your job will be a little harder but the lessons learned will help you be a better teacher.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Obtain a syllabus/curriculum requirements for all of the classes you are going to be teaching and begin to both brush up on the content and construct lesson plans. Make the most of your observations, meaning get to know your students. This can feel a little intimidating at first but sitting in the corner observing and then taking over the class will spell certain doom for your first few weeks of classroom management.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Lesson plan strategies, classroom management strategies, tricks of the trade, and most importantly tips on how to deal with the anxiety/nerves.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Had more experience with classroom management and how to motivate students.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Like most secondary education student teachers I was very nervous and experienced considerable anxiety before beginning my student teaching. I feel that I was fortunate enough to not only land in a good school for a placement but to be assigned to a cooperating teacher who knew exactly what to do and say to alieviate my anxiety. In addition to that I began to learn some of the "tricks of the trade" and develop strategies that helped further my understanding of what being a good science teacher entails. There are five major ones that stand out in my mind. The first is simply being organized - paper clips, staples, binders, and folders can go along way and save you a serious headache. Basically, if you aren't organized - you're screwed. The second is the energy you bring to the classroom. This is very important because it shows students that you are comfortable, insterested in your subject, and care about them as learners. To keep your energy level up I would recommend four things: morning coffee (huge), good nutrition (including lots of H2O), exercise, and daily vitamines. The third is to establish yourself and your rules in the first few weeks of class. Due to the fact that you did not have an opportunity to do this in September, continue to enforce your cooperating teachers rules and regulations (this will help you determine your own classroom policies in the future). The students are already used to a certain set of rules - so don't upset the equilibrium. Fourth, establish a good repour with the faculty (your not their to walk around with your head down), especially with those in your content area. This can lead to an invaluable support system from which you can gain things like worksheets, quizes/tests, labs, demonstrations, and awesome lesson plans/approaches to topics. Finally, establish a good repour with your students. Remember that they are people not just empty jars for you to put information into and they have off days just like you do. Show them that you can relate to them, after all you were in their shoes too not so very long ago. Personally, I have found that talking to them like you would talk to your own peers (minus the swear words of course) shows them the respect that you expect to get from them.
More importantly than anything else, understand that you have not been at this for 10+ years - so don't expect that you are going to ace every lesson. I guarantee that you will make mistakes and sometimes totally bomb lessons. What will define your character as a teacher is how well you learn from those mistakes. Personally, I have bombed a lesson and been incredibly discouraged but had an opportunity to teach the same lesson again (in the same day) and, after making adjustments to my presentation, hit a home run (meaning all students were engaged and absorbed the material presented). Remember to have as much fun as possible whenever possible, because I can honestly say it's a big reason why I made it to the finish line with a smile on my face.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
BE FRIENDLY TO YOUR COOPERATING TEACHER!! Whether or not you actually agree with his/her methods having you on their good side is critical. Remember, this is a professional internship, just because they tell you to do something one way doesn't mean you can't be your own teacher once your on your own! Because you will!!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Inquiry Assignments, because its the NEW "cat's meow" of science education.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
If I worked out more lesson plans before I started. Although running into a class with a 5-second fresh lesson plan is an experience all student teachers need (because it sucks), I guess I wish I would have made my lesson plans earlier so my assignments would also be done earlier.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Copy guy/gal is your new best friend! good luck finding a working copy machine. GO INTO THE LUNCH ROOM!!! TALK!!! YOU ARE NOW THEIR PEER!!! (in many cases: educational-superior). SMILE, FAKE-IT-TILL-YOU-MAKE-IT, BE MORE PROFESSIONAL THAN ANYONE THERE!! (Everyone notices)
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
I would say the biggest thing is to get to know your CT very well, and use that for everything you can get from it. Especailly with your first placement. Get to know the kids, the school and the teacher. What is his/her style? What manner does your CT use for opening and closing class/ classroom routines etc. The better you know this the more comfortable you will be when it comes time to start teaching. Spend as much time as resonably possible with your CT observing and take as active a role as they will allow while you are visiting. Ask to teach a mini lesson, preferably of your design. Work one on one with the students to get an idea of that age groups learning abilities and styles. You cannot over prepare in this manner.
Second would be to take yourself seriously and take care of yourself. This is not the time to go out and party on thursday night. You need to start training yourself to not only be up, but productive in the morning. Let your boss(es) now that they shouldne be expecting as much of you in the spring as they are now, this is a big commitment.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Im going to go with an obvious choice, but with a spin. The biggest thing you can do to help prepare is to get your unit plan absolutly rocking - that should be obvious. The trick here is to focus on what is important to actually teaching it. Spend alot of time on things like creating interesting projects and activities. You want to have the big picture down really well, i personally always fill in the details towards the last minute - as this is when you most accuratly know what the class needs at that particular point in time. Focus your energy on comming up with awesome lesson outlines, projects that encourage students to take an active role in their learning and purposeful small group activities and labs. These are the things that take the most time to plan, and require materials that you cannot alwasy get your hands on the week before, let alone a day or two before. Again I personally found myself constantly altering worksheets, notes etc. The main outline of the unit and the lessons were huge. With that in mind though make sure your unit is complete, things happen and you are far better off having OK stuff when something goes wrong than nothing at all.
Try and think about why you are doing what your doing with the formal lesson plans, while you may not write the DOK for furture lessons you write, you deiantly want to make sure you think about it. It is very easy to fall into a routine where all you ask for is DOK 1.
And finally spend some time thinking about graphic organizers and thinking maps, these can prove very useful, even in high school.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
The kids are going to try to feel you out. Your students have spent a long time figuring out your CT, and at this stage in the year your CT can ' have a little fun with the kids'. He/she can get away with joking with the kids and laughing at them etc. You need to keep this in mind. Start of tougher and then ease of once youve set boundries, if you try to pick up exactly where your CT left off - you are in for a tough time.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Your CT's are a tool - and they are also real people with a passion for what they do ( at least mine where), be honest with them. Let them know you want to learn, if you strive for the best they will be more then willing to help. When my CT left the room she would usually email me an informal assesment of myself and my lesson, including good and bad - this was the single most valuable thing from my stuednt teaching, constant feedback, and it was non threatning and informal.... perhaps this says something about how you should teach your class....
Take it serious, but remember that you are learning, you will make mistakes - as long as you learn from them your doing okay. Remeber this is student teaching.
Make sure if you are working with a middle school team, that you actually work with them. I learned so much from the whole team, and from the kids.
Go in with a clean slate. Some kids will really get to yuour CT in the 6 months+ before you get there, its only human to get frustrated from time to time. But you are a differnt person and you can have a huge effect on students. Students that wouldnt hane in anything before i began teaching rarely missed assignments, of course the opposite can happen to, so be careful.
Be careful in the begining when you are just learning the students name. At first I found myself calling on the kids whos names I learned first more - this can look like you are picking favorites. Be aware of this.
Dont lose track of why you are here. Every week or so (especially if things didnt go exactly as planned) I would read through my teaching rationale and my PDSP, to remind me of why I was here and what I was trying to accomplish.
I firmly believe that their is no job more challenging, rewarding, and important than what you are about to embark on - you should to if you made it this far - never lose site of that. You will have good days and you will have bad, but dont lose track.
Kids like to see a teacher in control. At first I felt bad for the good kids whenever i had to talk to the rest of the class, or move seats because of it. But they apreciate it - and the kids your tazlking to/moving need it. As long as you are sincere and beleive in what your doing, the kids can tell the differnce between genuine care and concern about them - and simply yelling at them.
And finally dont let anyone tell you that you cannot fit a square peg through a round hole. Or a square peg through a star shaped hole. Sometimes you need to. Believe in what you tell your kids and be the person you need to be. Instead of teaching your kids to fit into the mold, teach them to slip right in and make it there own.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
1. Make sure that you talk to your CT about the unit that you are going to teach. This way you can actually put your unit to good use in your spring semester.
2. Spend as much time as you can in the school that you are going to student teach in. Do not just spend the minimum required time. The more the students see you, the more comfortable you will be when you start. Spend enough time so that you as least know every student's name by the time you start.
3. Teach a lesson. Talk to your CT and ask them if you can teach a lesson. This will give you an idea about how the students respond to you and you can them adapt your planning according to how the lesson goes.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
1. The unit plan. Develop your lessons so that they are ready to use. Put together all of the materials, make the worksheets, find the videos, etc. This way you have everything ready for when you start.
2. Make your wikispace. Make your wikispace before you start student teaching. I would suggest creating if over winter break when you have time. This will be one less thing you will have to worry about when you start.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
1. Spent all of my Christmas money on teacher clothes. You need them!
2. Developed my own set of rules to establish on the first day of student teaching. If you do not agree with the structure of your CT's class, you should set some ground rules.
3. Made all of my tests before I taught the unit.
4. Developed my Unit plan for my high school placement instead of my middle school.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Write down what you CT tells you. You might learn something small that will make a huge difference one day in your own classroom. Even if it seems obvious, write it down. Take notes at team meetings. There are a lot of great ideas that come about during team meetings. Whether it be a parent teacher conference, how to handle a failing student, or interactions between team members, it is all important to remember. Be nice to your students. Show them that you care! They will be much more responsive to you if they know that you are willing to put in the extra time to help them out after school. Put in the time! Lastly, collect any file, lesson, worksheet, etc that you can from other teachers. Sit in on classes! Start collecting resources that you will be able to use one day!
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Develop a good rapport with your cooperating teacher. Show up on time- don't show up randomly without warning- and pay attention (as closely as possible!) to their management techniques. I recommend not getting involved in too many outside of student teaching activities for the spring that aren't necessary, it will run you into the ground as teaching gets going!
Invest in a teacher's planning calendar and LOTS of folders, obtain your school's textbook, and start looking for as much information as you can about your unit that you are teaching.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I would say- perhaps being able to construct a viable unit plan. I found that my own unit plan, though interesting, turned out to not be incredibly useful. I had planned activities that I learned now, are practically impossible to conduct in the amount of time that I was given. I also did not really know what "inquiry based learning" was until I reached this class, and was somewhat confused upon what it meant for awhile. Further instruction upon inquiry-based lesson planning and implementation would be greatly appreciated; how exactly can you implement this? What is a good motivator for inquiry-based lessons when your students are adverse to inquiry of any kind, ie: "just give me the answer already, I don't want to try to figure it out!?"
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had planned out my time in a wiser way. I learned that, if you don't set aside time for your planning and stick to it, planning starts to eat away at the other parts of your life. (the parts that would be better left alone) Perhaps make an hour or two after school sacred to lesson planning- do nothing else but plan and don't let yourself do anything but! This will give you a chance to keep your life sane, helping you balance outside activities/hobbies/friends. If I had done this earlier, I feel as if I would have gotten much more done in a better way, since these outside-of-school activities keep you from burning out.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
- Do not forget that there is more to life than student teaching, the world does not stop for your lesson planning- so plan ahead always- just in case!
- Have an "extra" emergency lesson plan for those days that are thrown off by field trips, fire drills, or some other reason. The Lorax by Dr. Seuss is a wonderful example, read it and discuss the implications of man on his environment!
- That seminar class thing that you're involved in? Its important. It helps. It helps you realize that you are not alone in your plight, and gives you an opportunity to ask questions that you do not know how to answer. It is a grade; and don't forget that!
- The way you dress does matter. Always dress nicely ironed and combed!
- Have compassion! No matter how bad, there is something good in every student that you will have. Open your eyes to see outside of the norm, their "good" just might not be the kind that you are used to seeing, look for it; the good is there.
- Never ever hesitate to ask questions of your CT. They seem appreciate that you ask- its like a compliment and shows that you care about your teaching!
- Make friends with the other teachers in your department. This could give you a chance at a substitute teaching job in the spring.
- Remember that "reflections" section in your lesson plans of the past? Reflect on your lessons! Did they bomb? Did they do okay, but take three days rather two? Think about it!
- ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS have a lesson plan for your advisor. Always. If you are afraid you are going to forget your plans somewhere or lose them, write a stickynote and staple it to your forehead the night before as a reminder OR just make extra copies and email it to yourself.
---- (- sleep + coffee) teaching all day = (short lived + ineffective + shallow) lessons
- This semester will fly by faster than any other semester in your waking memory.
- You can do it!!!
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
· Describe your first student teaching context (school setting). What school are you at, what are some of its characteristics, and what classes are you teaching, and how are classes scheduled at your school? (At least one paragraph.)
· Explain one of your "stealth" objectives that you want to accomplish with your students and why. (At least one paragraph)
· Use the template "EDC 484 RJ01 - School Setting" to create your journal page.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Do whatever you need to do so you do not have to work another job during your student teaching. I say 'another job', because student teaching is a job on its own, without the benefit of a paycheck. This doesn't mean there are not other benefits, but I found that trying to work while student teaching made the entire process more difficult than it needed to be. My financial situation put me in a position where I had to work all day on Saturdays in order to make enough money for food and fuel. This left one day out of the week for me to plan my lessons, search for resources, do any necessary grading, create handouts, find activities/videos/demos, and do any work for seminar. This was simply not enough time. Do what you can to work as little as possible outside of student teaching, it will demand your every moment.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Be sure and have a good grasp of how to effectively pull off inquiry. The benefit of this is two fold. First of all it is a great approach to learning science. It put students in the shoes of scientists and gets them to ask questions they normally would not have considered. Also, it takes some of the work off of your shoulders and puts it on the students. Why this may seam like the lazy way out, but it is important for teachers to be sure the students are doing more thinking than you are. Inquiry is a great way to put the bulk of the thinking on the student while freeing up your brain for things like formative assessmen, which is another topic from 430 i recommend having a solid grip on.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
Put more of the responciblity of learning on the student.
As I mentioned above we want the students brain to be more active than your own. A good approach to this is to think of what you need to do for a lesson and see if you can manipulate the situation in such a way that the student does the work for you, and learns something in the process. For example if you are looking for a good video to demonstrait osmosis, rather than spend an hour or so on youtube, have the students do a search for you, reporting back with a good video with an explanation as to why they think it is a good video.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Stay ontop of grading. If you get an assignemnt on Monday its graded on Monday and returned Tuesday. Students need feedback as fast as possible ionorder for it to be of any use to them. If they get it 2 or 3 days later they have already forgotten what the assignment was. Also your grading pile can snowball into a morally devistating stack of paper that will haunt your dreams. You have to get it done at some point so do it RIGHT AWAY. If at any point you think you can get away with not doing any grading for a day than you need to remember that not only is it in your best intrest to grade the papers right away, it is also best for the student to get that feedback as soon as possible. It is our dubty as teacheers to serve each student as best we can and that requires fast feedback.
Also,
Suck it up. Student teaching is a difficult period. You are oging to have to work withsomeone who may have different views about teaching than you. Deal with it. Think of it as an opportunity to take a new perspective on teaching. While you may have this ideal view on how you want to teach. You have nothing to lose by taking in thier perspective on things.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
If I were to say any wisdom to get you through your student teaching, it would be to stay organized, stay friendly, and always remember that no matter how difficult these 14 weeks may feel, It is going to make you a better teacher. After these 14 weeks you will be done with the University of Rhode Island and out in the rel world. Enjoy your student teaching, always be prepared for the week ahead and ready to enhance the students learning. Lastly keep in touch with your CT because you never know where a job may pop up and they may be willing to help you out if one appears in their district.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Definitely pay attention to how their CT is putting together lesson plans, even if the CT is using a general plan that he has used many times. Ask questions on how to create a week's worth of these general lesson plans. Ask the teacher to give you an outline of what he is doing for each week and what activities, handouts, worksheets he will use. This will help you when you are putting your own lesson plans together and have a general idea of what it looks like.
Try to get to know the other teachers in your subject area. They can be an added resource for lesson plans, ideas, worksheets, power point presentations and other things that can be simply different from your assigned CT but fits your own personality as a teacher. But remember to keep your CT in the loop about this by asking him to point his peers that he may find helpful.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Classroom management and crowd control.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
paid more attention to what the teacher was planning ahead of time. Seeing the CT only once a week and not seeing the planning needed to execute the class was a hard lesson to learn in January. I might ask to teach a class or classes ahead of time to get the feel for the classroom.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Do not underestimate the amount of energy and time that student teaching will require of you. Odds are that the amount of time that you think you will need for student teaching is less than what you will be really putting in. But it is fun.
Also, please regard your URI instructors as excellent resources in dealing with your CTs. Do not hesitate to bring up any issues you may be having with your CT with them, they have seen it all.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
My suggestions may seem slightly random, however they would have been helpful for me. If you are taking any science courses in the fall, try to think about how you may teach the material rather than just absorbing it. I know that there is tons to do, however it will help in the long run by getting in the teacher mode, rather than passive learner mode.
Start keeping an organized binder of any science teaching/lesson plan ideas you have during this time. I know for me I kept thinking of a lot of cool ideas, however when it comes crunch time, and you are responsible for all of these classes, you tend to forget those good ideas.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Creating assessments is much much harder than it may seem. Creating the test may seem like the easy part, because you just come up with questions and administer the test...not so! There are endless variables that need to be accounted for when creating a test that accurately reflects what you students know/should know. Therefore any activity in EDC430 that might help you prepare for test making is key to pay attention to, and may save you many drafts of the tests you make.
The unit plan that is created in EDC 430 is very helpful to begin to plan out ideas, however I did not find my unit plan to be very applicable in the classroom. Before going into the classroom, it is hard to plan for time management while teaching. My unit plan was very ideal, and did not take into account all the variables that happen endlessly in schools, especially high school. I would focus on making my unit plan flexible, with back up plans!
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have done a better job during student teaching if I had ...."
1. figured out the actual curriculum while I was observing (not just the standards because teachers have their own agendas)
2. saved more money (if possible) during first semester because I had to cut down on work
3. prepared more teacher outfits
4. come up with my own set of rules, rather than simply adopting my CT's
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
I was terrified of public speaking, and was wondering why I chose the career path I did. Yes, I shook terribly the very first time I tried to introduce a lesson, but it got so much better. After a couple of lessons, and after recognizing that I love to teach science and I am not expected to be perfect the first go-round, I became much calmer, and therefore delivered my lessons much easier and more comprehensive. So if you are thinking that you might run out of the class crying and never return, it is not as bad as you might think, and it is definitely rewarding and an experience you can be proud of when you finish!
Wisdom from 2010
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
-If you are getting your middle level endorsement as well, visit both schools once a week. Yes this takes up more time but seeing the students and becoming familiar with your CT each week will be well worth it.
-The unit plan is extremely overwhelming but it will help you during your time student teaching [do it for a high school lesson]. Remember, while student teaching, all your lessons you prepare will not be that detailed but getting that practice will help you in the long run.
-Google/search for activities online for various topics in your content for a specific topic [genetics, photosynthesis, etc.] that way when it comes time you can just click open a folder on your computer and browse through your potential activities to use. Most of my time during student teaching was spent finding quality activities to do and when I couldn't find them you have to create them which takes time.
-Be as bubbly and personable as possible! Faculty and principals want someone in their school and potentially on their staff who is excited and likes being in school and with students.
-Get to know students names during the fall--one less thing to worry about come spring and they'll feel like you took the time to know them right from the start.
-See what works for your CT and what doesn't as far as classroom management goes. You'll see that certain students can handle certain techniques [sarcasm, social cues, etc].
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
-Classroom management--you can anticipate what you would do in a certain situation but until you are in front of the classroom and have to react, you won't know.
-Unit plan--plan a great unit for a relevant/large unit for the high school [middle school lesson plans are easier than high school] and plan it well. That way during student teaching, you don't have to worry as much come those couple of weeks.
-Take advantage of the observations--become a part of the classroom--help out, walk around the room when students are working on an activity that way come spring you're already a familiar face and not just some college student who sat in the back of the room.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
-researched activities and gotten a hold of resources asap from my CT. That way even if you spend a couple of hours a week jotting down some ideas for certain topics, you're already one step ahead [even if it's just a bunch of helpful websites]
-taught a couple of lessons during December observations--that way the students see you as a teacher figure prior to you starting student teaching and you can relax a bit more over winter break knowing that you've taught a couple of times and won't have the first day anxiety in your head all break.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
-be organized! have a separate binder/folder for each class/block and even go as far as having a graded and ungraded folder for each class/block...very helpful during class when students hand in papers quickly and when you have to hand back papers
-have multiple flash drives [1 back up too!]...this way you can work on notes/activities/labs at home and also bring them to school to work on them on the school/classroom computer if available...TIME IS PRECIOUS! The more work you get done in school the less you have to do when you get home!
-trying to have a good relationship with your students can be difficult because you want to be their friend and let them know that you understand where they're coming from [hey you are a student too!] so trying to find that balance is hard. It is easier to be firm in the beginning and let up as the weeks progress but difficult to be fun and uber relaxed all the time and then when one student misbehaves try and lay down the law--they will not take you seriously! Have fun with them and laugh but remember you are the teacher and it is school and they are there to learn.
-most importantly--be flexible, and be excited about what you are teaching--if you express to students 'Okay let's just get through this activity and then class will be over' they will not get into it because you aren't! You put in the time to plan it and you love science...so get into it!
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
1. First and foremost, make a "BIG" impression the first time you meet your ct. Ask them when he/he can they spare an hour to get togeher with you and offer to bring a coffee. Dress professionally as they will make a judgement about you this very day!! You want to appear professional, mature and ready go! During this time, ask the necessary questions. Make this a "You" conversation and avoid the "I" word for today. GET TO KNOW YOUR CT. A Great, trusting Relationship/Friendship with your CT makes your experience so much more enjoyable and memorable!
Mix up the questions between some non-school related questions (i.e. what do you like to do in your spare time) and school related questions that should be prepared ahead of time. Thinking of it like a first date. You guys are feeling eachother out to see if this will work this year...
Sample Questions:
Have you ever had a student teacher before? And if so, what are some routines/processes/behaviors that worked really well and what didnt work?
What classes do you currently teach and what level are the students?
Does your school follow block scheduling and if not, what is the schedule and how long are classes?
When is your prep period in case I need to get in touch with you? What is your email and cell phone (EXCHANGE before you leave)
What is the procedure for visiting the school and what room are you located in?
When do you prefer me to come in each week?
Do you have a copy of the years sllyabus for the classes tha you will be taking over?
Which topics in each class will you be coverin when you take over? Write this down?
Would you be willing to share some of your lesson plans so I can get an idea of your teaching style?
Can I have a copy of the text books that I will be using (Preferably a teachers copy)
You will think of more...and the let the conversation be casual and relaxed....If you have time, ask for a tour of their classroom and school (ex. bathrooms, nurse, office & copyroom)
And before you leave...Thank you them for their time and express how excited you are about being there!
2. I know you are busy right? But make the time this fall to visit your classrooms (1 full day each week at each placement or alternate but spend most of your time at the placement that you are heading off to first). While you are there, make it worth your while....
Tips
Dress professionally and wear comfortable shoes...(Ladies...do not wear short skirts or lower scooping shirts)
Introduce yourself to the office staff, explain that you will be student teaching for _
Ask the office staff where they prefer you to park during the visits
If you see the Vice Principal, Asst or Principal-introduce yourself
Wear the Name tag- Your MR. or Ms. _ now
When the teacher introduces you to the class, speak to them (Get practice)...Tell them that during the next few months, you are looking forward to getting to know each and every one of them.
The first few times (1-2) sit in the back of the classroom and observe your students style (Whats the teacher doing, what is the students doing, take some notes of wh you liked and didnt like)
Third visit--Jump in...Ask the teacher if it is okay if you move around, help students, ask questions during activities, pass out paperwork, pass back test, take attendance, grade some test
MAKE YOURSELF AN ASSET EARLY ON (MAKE YOUR TEACHER NEED YOU)
Alternate the days you go if there is block scheduling so you see each period and get to meet your students-(all of them)
3.
Get to know the students- look at them..do they have sports jerseys on? Do they have muscial instruments with them...Associate names with activties...Ask them if they are involved and make a connection with each..Maybe you also played this sport in high school. Learn there names. Make a joke telling them that you may ask their name 20 times due to your bad short term memory so apologize in advance.. Make relationships with your students But DO NOT MAKE FRIENDS..they still need to know that you are the adult and teacher. Dont be afraid to walk around the classroom and practice classroom management techniques ..for example, if you see a group talking about non-science content, ask them a question that pertains to the lab or activity to get them back on track. Practice and Practice some more!
4. Ask your teacher if you can practice being up in front of the classroom
-Start by reading off instructions to a lab or model an activity
-Next arrange a time to watch the teacher teach the lesson first and then try it the next period
-Ask your ct if you can create a lesson and try it out with one period (It is much easier to teach your own then trying to teach theirs)
-Try to get into this habit...EARLY!!! (BY THE BEGINNNG OF NOVEMBER)
Your students will get used to you being the "Teacher" and you will get used to being in front of the students, speaking aloud....No matter how good you think you are, you will sound like an idiot the first few times...Its okay......The only person that will remember that after your done is YOU! Bravo- for trying it.
If you do this stuff, early January when you start actually student teaching, you can jump right infor taking over classes...Trust me, it is a lot more fun then sitting back!!
5. Obtain Future lessons/materials from their folder or file draw for ideas for future lesson planning
6. Write down the Seating Chart a head of time so you can get to know your students
7. VERY IMPORTANT*
Visit OTHER TEACHERS..Listen, your teacher may be great but his/her style may not match yours. See as many different teachers (have your CT help you schedule this with others! You will get tips/tricks and possibly observe styles that make more sense to you. You will not have the opportunity to do this while student teaching or if you get a job. Learn, Observe and if you think about it...Its also a nice way for teachers to get to know who you are in the school.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
You will have a Unit Plan to complete. Here is the deal......Look at the syllabus and speak with your CT. Find out what exactly you will be teaching the 2nd-3rd week you are going to be teaching by yourself the full period. (The first 2 weeks you will probably be co-teaching, or partically teaching so dont waste your unit plan topic for that time)
Strategically pick the topic for the 3rd week you will be teaching. You will want something that is planned out to follow opposed to writing lessons from scratch during student teaching when you are grading, and being busy busy busy!
Here is the honesty part.. ...You will put something together and in your mind wil; think that it is perfecto! It will not be. You need to be flexible. Know that your unit is a backbone but do not settle with it. Try it one period, tweak it the next for what didnt work. The timing thing....wil be way off. Your lessons will be a lot longer than what you have time for. Students will ask questions, your activites will take more time than you think they will. ITS OKAY. Just be flexible! Know that this is a backbone only....You will tweak, etc but at least it is there for your support.
WHAT IS KEY: That when you are done, you take the time to revise your lessson. After each period, or next prep, I would sit down and revise my activity hand outs, lesson plan or power point immediately after so that the next time I teach it, the quirks would be fixed.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
My activity hand outs and lesson plans written 2 weeks in advance at all times. There were times this year that I would put something together the night before or two days before and it did work because that is how I operate BUT...this doesnt work for everyone especialy those who are still undergraduates who are not used to working a full-time job.
If you have your powerpoint slides, your activity hand outs and lessons printed, prepared for AT LEAST the following week (Buy yourself a milk crate style box at staples with hanging folders labeled Monday-Friday)...YOU WILL BE MUCH LESS STRESSED OUT!
What I would have done differently- I would dedicate one day in the fall (take a few hours) and create a lesson plan. By the time you start student teaching you will have an idea of what you would like to do. If you do not have time to write a full lesson plan with a full time schedule of classes or a job...then at least take each topic you will teach (using the syllabus), break it down to subtopics, look at the GSEs and start brainstorming activities/lessons that you will use during that topic. Use a planning calender and the text book to see how long each unit can be and what the text book covers...Then you will have a good idea of how many lessons you need to create for each unit.
The second thing I would have done in SEPTEMBER....IS RELAX!!!!!!!!!
I was mentally stressing myself out about this experience. Not about the amount of work but "Will I be a good teacher and "What If I screw up" , etc, etc, etc.....Dont stress yourself out...You will be fine....This will be one of the most amazing experiences you will have....Again if you follow my 7 tips of advice in section "A" then you will be just great!!!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Absolutely, 100% try and be in your classroom AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE!!! Do not just "visit" and "watch" a few times throughout the semester. This will make students more comfortable and familiar with your presence in the classroom, thus making the "Who are you again?" questions less likely when you begin student teaching.
Also, speak with your CT about possibly watching 1 period and teaching the next and "mimicing" the piror lesson. This will not only give you experience but also a comfortability and fimliarity with the students and the setting around you. If your CT refuses this, then try and get involved as much as possible. Hand out papers, walk around for students needing extra help - DO NOT JUST SIT THERE AND WATCH!!!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Obviously classroom management is everyones biggest problem. Make sure to seat your students the way YOU want them. If it turns out you made a mistake a paired a chatty couple of kids, move them. Don't let a few chatty kids ruin the period for all the other students.
Be sure to design your inquiry and your activities according to your classes ability level. If you don't make it interesting enough for the CP kids they won't want to participate and if you don't make the material challenging enough for your Honors students, they won't take the material OR you seriuosly.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Understood that students will take the smallest bit of leway you give them and run with it. If you are "soft" and allow students to talk/goof off during your classroom period it will NOT help you at all further down the road. Students will be constantly testing you to see what they can get away with and if you allow them too, they will continue fooling around. Put a stop to this IMMEDIATELY. Do not let it continue because if you try and stop it later on they won't take you seriously.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Don't be nervous, relax, your going to be fine. I am hoping you have chosen this profession for the "right reasons" and you really do care about the education of your students. As long as you enjoy your subject area and you enjoy your students, you will enjoy student teaching. It is a lot of work, but in the end its all worth it. Trust me, I'm a teacher!
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
*Get to know your CT well. Having a more friendly relationship with this teacher who will control you life for the next 14 or 7 weeks is to your benefit, and it will cut down the awkwardness on your first couple of days taking over their classroom (believe me it is definitely awkward at first).
*Keep in touch over Christmas break as well as (if your Middle school also) during you middle school rotation. It will make the transition much easier if you know where the classes are going once you are in the classroom.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
*Use your wiki!! Making a wiki is such a simple thing because you can work on it when you have free time, and then not touch it for weeks, and then come back to it etc....on and on. This tool is soooo useful!! Post things that you want to be sure to look at in class, such as videos or links to articles...the info is now in one place all you have to do in front of the class is click. Let your students use it!! They usually think that it is pretty neat that their teacher has his or her own website especially if you really jazz it up. Encourage students to use it outside the classroom, either for homework, extra credit resources, or research purposes.
*I <3 Diigo!! This online RSS feed maker/article archiver is such an awesome teacher resource....see a cool article on CNN...Diigo it and it is sure to be useful later...plus you'll know where to find it :)
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Kept a folder or bookmarked (in one place) lessons that I thought were cool. When your under the gun and trying to find that awesome food web lesson you saw online months ago, it never seems to reappear no matter how hard you google it. Keep a folder of lessons, and even short activities that are readily available to you at all times. Sometimes during planning your left with a time slot that is not large enough to start a new lesson so those quick 15-20 minute activities you saved earlier come in handy.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
* Sometimes you have to be pushy...respectful...but pushy...Just because your CT isn't letting you in on what's going on tomorrow or the next day doesn't mean that it's not for you to know...You should know!!! Be pushy and ask questions, if you don't you will surely be surprised when your CT tells you that you're teaching tomorrow without any previous discussion...
*Be yourself!! Let your personality come through your teaching. Stuffy notes seem to be the norm, but you don't have to be :) You are a young, new teacher and should be enthusiastic...it's a good thing!
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
If I had to give wisdom to someone entering the student teaching program, I would say to get involved as soon as possible. I would suggest not treating your Fall 'observations' as typical observations. I suggest going as much as possible and really getting used to the students and the school policies and procedures. It is also good to get some practice talking to the students. I would say my biggest problem was adjusting to the classes and getting to know the students. I also would have liked to have had more practice giving instruction to students and trying atleast parts of lessons out. Before student teaching, we don't have any oportunities to play out a lesson and determine what works and doesn't work for us. Since we can't change the Education program, I'd suggest being actively involved in the class as soon as you arrive in The fall before student teaching. It makes life all that much easier in the spring.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
It would be a good idea to create a good and thurough unit plan. you can use this for your spring teaching. Use your CT for resources. Other than that, I'd start working on classroom management to get used to it and to start getting used to addressing your students.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
spent more time in my practicum getting used to the students and the classroom.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Take initiative early. The more the CT sees that you are confident in what you are doing and that they can be comfortable leaving you, the sooner they will leave you to the class on your own. This is great for getting your students used to seeing you as an authority figure and helps in classroom management.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
For one, start planning with your CT long before you actually take over. Get the chapters and topics you are going to do ahead of time and begin creating activities, worksheets, powerpoints, or whatever else it may be during the fall practicum. During your fall practicum, go in and observe as much as possible! Begin teaching lesson plans, correcting papers, etc. Also, learn your students' names as fast as you can. Creat a seting chart, and quiz yourself everyday. Get to know your students on a level of understanding and respect. This will make it so much easier when you begin teaching in the spring.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I would have to say that having your classroom management skills ready to use will prepare them better for student teaching. I would make a list of various techniques that you think would help you, or that you would like to use in your classroom, run the by the CT, and begin implementing these procedures before you officically take over. Also, I would know how to create lesson plans that accurately address the objectives you wish your students to achieve.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Spent more time with my CT during the fall semester. I think that although I stil completed more than the required amountof hours, I wish I did more time, and that I was more involved during my visits. A lot of CT's dont want to hand over the reins until the absolutely have to, but do not be afraid to ask them if you can do something, teach a lesson, or do a demonstration. It does not hurt to open your mouth and ask! Your CT will probably appreciate the fact that your are trying and want to participate.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
I would say that you should have lots of fun your Fall semester, do everything you want to do your senior year then because when you start student teaching in the fall, it is a full time commitment/job. It is literally a job. The hardest part for my was seeing my friends not have nearly as much work as me, go out all the time, and not worry about a thing. You just have to remember that this is your passion and to love every second of it, because before you know it, its over. Enjoy the students, they truely are the best part. Try new things, dont be afraid to fail. Listen to all the help your CT is giving you. Constructive criticism can be hard to take, but your CTs are only there to help you. Form a strong relationship with your CT. Learn about your students, go to their baseball games and school plays. Don't wish for your student teaching to go by fast. Don't ever say, "I cant wait for this to be over", because before you know it, it will be over and you'll really miss it. It will be hard and it will be a lot of work. Hang in there, take it day by day, but try to plan as far ahead as you can. Rely on your CT, advisor, and peers for support and for anything else you may need.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
I would ask if you could take the attendence in the fall so that you already know the names of the students when you finally begin teaching in the spring; it helps a lot if you don't have to learn the names while your teaching because during the first few classes you do feel a little nervous and if you already know the students names its one less thing to be worried about.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I would spend a lot of time on the unit plan. Reviewing the content is good but the biggest thing would be to think of good questions at all levels to ask the students and think of ways to get all of the students involved when questioning. Think about how you're going to present the material and think to yourself, "is this boring to me?" and if it is it will definitely be boring to the students and you should think of a different way to present the material.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
...really thought about what my HS classes were like; not only the good classes or bad classes but how the students behaved. I know it was a shock to me when some students didn't do a homework assignment because in HS I remember doing my homework just because I was supposed to but you need to think about the students that might not do it just because they are supposed to do their homework. You need to think of a way to make the homework and classwork interesting and have goals so that the students know why they are doing the work and try to make it fun for them to do the assignments or some students might not do them.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Over winter break I would plan as many classes as you can so that you don't have to stay awake at night thinking about what you're going to do the next day. Before planning ask you CT how long he/she takes with the topics so that you know how quickly you should move. Also, when you are planning don't just plan the topics, CREATE the worksheets ahead of time because they take a long time to make. I mentioned planning over winter break but February break comes really quickly and by then you should have an idea of how the classes will go so during break you should plan a lot because you will teach for about 8 weeks without a break before you have spring break and if you can get ahead you will have a lot less stress.
When you get into the classroom be strict at first because you can get easier but after you let the students get away with a few things its very hard to get the classroom back under control.
One last thing, have fun, it does get stressful at times so when you know of a fun activity make the best of it. Good luck!
Wisdom from 2011
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
During fall practicum I think the most important thing that students could do to make their student teaching go more smoothly is to familiarize themselves with students before you begin student teaching. From the first class of fall practicum, during groupwork and classwork walk around to all groups and work with students in a small group setting. This not only will help familiarize yourselves with them, but also allow the students to familiarize themselves with you as the beginning of student teaching can be a transition time for both you and your students. During this time don't only help students with their work, but try to have a personal conversation with every student possible before you finish your fall practicum about something that is outside the classroom. Extracurricular activities such as sports (both watching and playing), band, music in general, or even an interesting current event. Don't be afraid to share a little about yourself as well maybe if you have a pet, things you may like to do (such as playing sports, hiking, read books, etc.) or even share stories that may have happened to you. As students are able to make connections with you outside the classroom and realize that you genuinely take an interest into things they may do outside of the classroom they'll have a greater respect for both you and what you're teaching them. Through these methods it's helped me create a secure and comfortable learning environment for all students where they not only feel comfortable sharing things with you, but also the entire class. Students that may have been timid in the past now can feel at ease sharing answers and contributing to class discussions, which will make your day-to-day lessons more effective. Another thing you may want to consider is to teach a lesson in the fall, even if it's just a brief activity. Doing this will allow you to get a feel for both how your students act/work in group settings and also allow you to gain experience in front of the class.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think the unit plan, although time consuming and difficult at first, is the most important assignment of EDC 430. Once student teaching you'll be working on these unit plans on a daily basis, and familiarizing yourself with both the process of planning a unit and things to consider while planning before you begin student teaching will help you begin your student teaching on the right note. When I made my unit plan, I planned it for my second placement and taught this in the end of March. This was great, but If I were to do it again I would plan the unit plan I would most likely teach when I first began my student teaching in January. When you first begin student teaching you have a ton on your mind, between getting used to the schedule, students, teaching in front of the class. Planning a unit on top of this is the last thing you want to do, so although things may change and you may choose to change a lesson here and there or switch things around, these minor changes can easily be made as opposed to planning an entire unit during this first couple of weeks. Put a lot of time and effort into this in the fall, and they'll not only hep you during the first few weeks of student teaching but also make it easier to plan your next unit during student teaching.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
The one thing that I felt really handcuffed me throughout student teaching was mainly financial. With the ever-increasing gas prices and financial hardships on most of the country right now, it's understandable that if you're not placed in an area close to you that the gas prices could really hit you hard. With that said, they recommend that you don't work during student teaching, and this is a recommendation I strongly recommend you take into consideration, although based on your situation you may be unable to consider this. In the fall, you don't really grasp how time consuming student teaching is really going to be. When observing the class, it doesn't seem to bad and usually the work you may do entails things you enjoy doing so time passes quickly. Once you begin student teaching in January however, you really realize how much time and energy needs to be put into each lesson, activity, lab, or grading an assignment. Based on fellow student teachers, I know that even just working on these can seem like a very difficult task at times. If you need to work on top of this, it may seem insurmountable. Throughout student teaching I worked between 15-20 hours a week in an attempt to keep up with my finances between gas money, bills, etc. I feel like although I was able to complete all of my work and was confident I had successfully taught and prepared each lesson I taught, it came at the expense of my sleep. Working on 3, 4, and 5 hours sleep can become almost a norm if you need to take this route, and it can make it difficult to even get through the week. My recommendation to you is to work as much as you can during the fall semester and Christmas break before student teaching to build up your bank account so this is something you don't have to worry about during student teaching. Take it from me, throughout student teaching there is enough to fill up each day with things to do from the day you start till the day you finish if you do it effectively, and making time to work on top of this can make your student teaching unnecessarily difficult. With that said, if it's a route you must take just keep your head up and stay motivated, things will get easier as time goes on and although at times it may seem like you're going to break just keep working hard and you'll do just fine.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
The last words of wisdom I'd like to share is to be flexible throughout your student teaching. Don't stress, whether if an activity doesn't go as planned, you feel overwhelmed due to all of your work, or worry when a class may do poorly on a test. Stressing out about these things will only make matters worse, and instead it's good to just make the most effective use of your time to get everything that you need done and allows you to move on to the next task. I find it better to make a list of things that need to be done, and crossing off things one at a time makes me feel better about lightening the load. As teachers, it's important that we're very flexible during our teaching. Being fully prepared for each lesson and having a backup plan could serve as a very valuable tool when student teaching. During just my second lesson in January, I taught a lesson in which at the last second the powerpoint failed to work due to technical problems and the lab we were supposed to do right after taking notes couldn't be done due to lab materials that proved to be faulty (although tested the night before). These things happen, and luckily I was able to get through the notes by writing them on the board due to being thoroughly prepared with a printed copy and I had a backup activity planned for the students that we were able to complete. Don't stress out during these situations as it will only make things work, just stay confident and calm and work on fixing the problems that may arise on a day to day basis, it will make your student teaching a lot less stressful. Lastly, communicate with your cooperating teacher on a daily basis to gain input on your teaching styles and strategies. They've gained a lot of experience through their teaching, and although you may have a style quite different from theirs, you may find that implementing certain aspects of things they would do may make your teaching not only easier but more effective as well. Lastly, when things get tough just keep working hard and don't look back. You're going to get stressed out at least a few times during your student teaching and feel like there's no way you can complete everything you need to. Don't let it affect you and just keep working hard making the most out of the time you have. Things will get better and the 14 weeks will go by much faster than you think. Good Luck!
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
1) Get overly involved with your observations in the fall of the classes you will be teaching in the spring. If you already know all students names, understand the dynamics, and have given quite a bit of facetime in the class it will make the transition from showing up weekly to showing up daily much easier. It will also give you more time to work with students and build up a profile so that they trust and respect you before you really get into the heart of teaching. Although you may want to just do the minimum and get by in the fall because you are going to be devoting an entire semester to it in the spring, go above and beyond what is required and make your mark at your school! Its not just for co-workers and the students, but it is for you as well.
2) Acutally compelte your major unit plan to the best of your ability, and CONFIRM with your CT that you will actually be teaching that material. If you are not spending every waking minute trying to complete unit plans when you are student teaching you will be able to get involved in more or different ways. So, do your work ahead of time and then enjoy those few weeks that are pre planned in the spring. What you have to do in the fall may seem overwhelming because you are balancing it with other classes, but I promise, it is nowhere near as challenging as your spring semester, so find the time!
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
UNIT PLAN
Also, really take the time to develop the disciplinary aspect of your teaching rationale. You need to know how you are going to deal with different situations you may face ahead of time so that you surely handle them properly when they do (not if - when) come up...because they will no matter what school you are at. Work on the demeanor you would like to have in front of the class and start observing how your CT handles different situations in the fall.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Spent more time in the school and in the classroom more specifically
Rested when I had the opportunity (also taken vitamins)
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Do not just go in and work, teach and leave. The most rewarding part of teaching is the personal relationships that you get out of it, and as a student teacher, you should be able to enjoy that aspect too. When students reach out, reach back and give them that personal relationship that they need so much in the school. Reach out to students you judge that you can help, you will know who you feel comfortable doing that with when you see them. Be memorable, but also be yourself because they can smell a fake or phoney adult a mile away. Do not stare at papers, grades, white boards or computers so long that you forget to look up and see the faces of the students that you are impacting.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Congratulations! You made it! You survived and excelled in your student teaching. You are now a science teacher! If you would, take a few minutes to share your wisdom about how to negotiate this difficult year with the students who are following in your footsteps by answering the following questions.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
I think students need make it a point to get to know their CT's well. Having circumstances which led me to not knowing my CT until just before student teaching started made it very hard to communicate with her during student teaching. Also when the students begin writing the unit plan they should not rush through it. I was able to use my unit plan as part of my physical science classes and it was helpful in time management. I was able to use the unit plans and further adapt them to make them more relevant to the students. I think the students should get used to making =sure assignments are done a few days ahead of schedule so they can review and edit the assignments. I think that practicing having ,materials or papers done early will prepare the students for teaching and will aid in decreasing anxiety.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think the list of items students should complete during observations that was given to us in the beginning of the fall semester was vry helpful and allowed me as a student teacher to practice before i was actually teaching. I completed almost the entire list and it made me feel more confident teaching during the spring. In addition, I would suggest that student really think critically about their unit plan. I would suggest that they finish it early and have their CT's review the unit plan and give feedback and suggestions. I found the unit plan very useful during student teaching.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had not taken on an extra class so early into my student teaching in the high school setting. I felt a little pressured to pick up more classes and was concerned I was not doing enough. I think a slow transition into addition classes is the best. When you take on too much you get really frantic and anxious. Choose quality over quantity!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Do not take on too much during student teaching. Work as little outside of student teaching as you can. Keep working through breaks it helps stay ahead. Be flexible and okay with making mistakes it is how we learn. Also make sure you reflect on your mistakes and make your teaching better!
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had planned more lessons over winterbreak and met more of the school faculty so I wasn't such a stranger in the building at first!
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Enjoy it while it lasts and take advantage of all of the opportunities that come your way like parent meetings, IEP meetings, fieldtrips, professional development, etc.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
...in the middle school: learned more about the students' interests so I could apply their interests with my lessons.
...in the high school: met more of the staff and learned the layout of the school so I would not feel so awkward sometimes asking for help with my lessons.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Have fun, don't stress, breathe! At times you'll feel super overwhelmed, but just remember that you have the skill set to be the teacher in the classroom. You are the one in charge, you're the one with all the knowledge and resources, and you are the one who is in charge of showing students how great science is. Enjoy your time in the fall because when spring comes, you will be a teacher 24/5 (save the weekends for yourself) :D Good Luck!
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
- ...not had to work.
- ...expected the humor of the teenagers.
- ...not been so shy at first.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?Wisdom from 2012
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
In the fall, as I was going to my placement and observing my teacher, I mainly focused on the EDC 430 journal observation assignment at hand. I would suggest that future student teachers use some of this observing time to try and form relationships with their cooperating teacher, the students, and even other teachers and faculty. Follow your cooperating teacher around and learn what she knows, even basic tasks such as how to use the copier. Notice how he/she handles any issues within the classroom, and be ready to adapt to their rules and policies, as they will soon be your own. All these things will make the transition easier, and less awkward.
Besides that, the other HUGE suggestion I was going to make was to plan. Seeing that almost everyone in the previous years suggested this, I won't go into too much detail, but future student teachers should take the hint. Seriously, don't procrastinate. See it as an additional 430 assignment, to make a couple lessons a month. Upon meeting your C.T. kindly inquire about a curriculum outline and together decide what unit you will come in on, and leave on, so that you can begin preparing accordingly. Even if it's just making the powerpoint slides for the notes, or note outlines (whatever you plan use), this will help a ton!
There just isn't enough time during the week when you're waking up at 5 am, leaving school between 4-6 pm, grading papers, packing the next day's lunch, ironing your outfit, etc... to make a lesson plan, or any activities. For this reason it's really important that you PLAN AND CREATE YOUR LESSONS/ACTIVITIES AHEAD OF TIME.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Work on lesson plans! Be familiar with all the topics covered in the other 430 assignments. Print out the Science GSE's and put a printout in your teaching materials. This will be helpful when making sure the content you cover and the lessons you plan, are addressing the RI standards for the projected grade level you will be teaching. Also, get familiar with learning objectives, and how to write them using higher level questioning, as you will be doing this for all of your lesson plans. Also, become comfortable with a lesson plan outline that falls somewhere in between the short-form and long-form that you can use to outline your daily lesson plans.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Not only "planned" what I was going to do, but actually worked through each lesson and created everything needed for them. I also would have saved money!! Driving 45 minutes to and from Westerly everyday in a jeep, without a job, was extremely painful. I go through a half tank of gas in about 2 days. Filling up twice a week definitely adds up, so I wish I had saved enough money to account for this extra expense.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Everything I've said above pretty much addresses what I would pass on.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Some things to take full advantage of for your fall practicum to make student teaching go more smoothly are: creating a good working relationship with your cooperating teacher, getting to know your students as much as possible, getting from your CT the topics of lessons that you will be teaching (while your student teaching) and keep tabs with them to see where they will be when you take over, have a general idea of what you will be teaching and start to play around or look into activities in addition to your unit plan, get all the books, teacher resources etc that the teacher uses to see what you can and will be able to use while your teaching and familiarize yourself even start to find cool things that you like and can see yourself teaching. Also, scope out the technology that you will have access to which will help you start to think about what you can use and how you will use them to teach.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I missed a good part of 430 because I had a baby so I am not well prepared to answer this. Just make sure that you have a good, thoughtful and thorough unit plan and look at the things I talked about above.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
My ipad, which I got and it was such an amazing tool!!!!!!!!!!!!! Use evernote to help plan and organize schedules/lessons. I was always two weeks ahead or tried to be so I knew where I was going and what I was doing, that way I didnt have to stress about it the week or weekend before, I had everything copied 2 weeks in advance and had everything ready and organized. Better to be over-prepared than underprepared. Kids also like to waste time or they have questions and you can find yourself with the period over and you haven't accomplished everything you wanted try to stay focues and on task but make sure you answer their questions or have them write them down and answer them at another time so you can get through the material.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
It flys by. I can't believe it. It is a lot of fun and make the most out of it as you can because by the end, your a teacher so take full advantage of the time and assistance you have because once it's your classroom, your it! Be confident, have fun and stay positive.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
The most important thing to make student teaching go more smoothly is to visit the classes you will student teach as much as possible. Spend as much time with the individual classes you will be teaching as you can, the better you know the students, and the more they recognize you as a teacher with the authority and respect of their regular teacher, the smoother the transition will be when you start.
Another thing I would suggest is to arrange with your cooperating teacher(s) to be able to give at least one lesson complete with an assignment that you are responsible for grading to each class you will be teaching in the spring, and then do a reflective piece on it. It helps break the ice, even if it is a few months before you officially take over, the majority of the students will have the opportunity to have at least been exposed to your teaching style and grading policies before you completely take over. It also helps you take that important first step in leading a lesson all by yourself, and it's better to do that in the fall when it is just one or two lessons than in the Spring when it will be every day. Once you do this, take time to reflect about it. Use the reflection questions in the RIDE lesson plan template and really think about the lesson, how it went, what could be better, etc. This is especially helpful if you give that same lesson more than once (giving to each section you will take over) so that you can see the natural process of how you tweak your delivery based on one class's responses.
A third suggestion for the fall would be to look at the school calendar, figure out the timeframe you will be in the class with the students, and then look at the curriculum the CT has planned. Do not just focus on the unit you write for 430, but make sure you fully understand the units preceeding and following, because chances are you will be teaching parts, if not all, of those as well. Make sure you understand how the unit you write affects the units that come after it and what groundwork you need to lay for the students to be able to smoothly transition to the next unit. Make sure you understand the timing of school vacations, days off, and when midterms and end of quarters are. These all can impact pacing of a unit, whether because you have to speed it up to finish by a certain date, or build in review to jog the students' memories after a week-long vacation, or any other number of issues related to it. The better you understand the entire curriculum and how the units work together, the easier it will be. You can always have a monkey wrench thrown at you in the form of the school moving the NECAPs up 2 weeks earlier with 3 days notice (just happened here!), and if you have been teaching all along the idea that all these units work together, it will be much easier to adapt and prepare than if you were viewing each as a distinct and separate idea.
A final suggestion would be to ask your CT for a copy of everything. A copy of everything they give to students while you are there, some things they give out on days you are not there, whether electronic or on paper, is worth it's weight in gold. A new teacher, even a seasoned teacher looking for new ideas will beg, borrow, and steal anything they can get their hands on. You may not use it, you may use it and change it, but every little idea is one less you have to search for later. This goes for writing your unit plan as well. Ask your CT for how they carried out the unit in the past, what materials they've used, what concepts they find students have the most difficulty with, what hasn't worked well in the past, what has worked sometimes and not others. You will still need to develop your own unit, but using someone else's knowledge and expertise goes a long way to making it easier.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think some of the most helpful assignments were the ones asking us to watch our CT and how they respond to various things happening in their classroom. If you have more than 1 CT to watch, this is even more helpful. You can see how different teachers respond to similiar situations. The CTs really are the people who set the tone for respect, attention, engagement, and more, in their classroom, and you will just be walking into what is already established. If the room seems easy going and the students well behaved, it's likely due to subtle acts by the CT that you should observe and note, if it seems chaotic that too is cued by the CT.
Obviously the unit plan. But not just do it well to get a grade for 430 but gather as many ideas and materials as possible so that when you actually implement the lesson plan and are in front of real students who do not act or learn as you planned you have other options to fall back on. Build in ways to cover things multiple times/ways so that if something needs to be cut you can, but if you have more time you have more resources. Build in time for review, and make it a game. They love games. But be prepared for them to be petty about it! They hate to lose. Make it a game where they have to get up and move, even if it is because they can only answer certain questions in certain locations --- at least everyone has to get involved. The more effort you put into the unit plan, the easier it will be for you to use it in the classroom, but also know you will likely never use it exactly as written. And remember from above to take into account how that unit fits into the entire year so that you are prepared to teach what comes before and after and help students see how they all link together.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Written more unit plans. Seriously. I stayed at the high school for my entire student teaching, that's a long time with the same people. Sure you have the same slow build up as everyone else, but when they are winding down to move to the next placement and then building up again, you are still plugging along with the same group, same workload. It's a long time, you will be with the first class or 2 you take over for the entire 3rd quarter by yourself, and then some more of the 4th quarter. Think about that, you are solely responsible for at least 1/4 of what they learn in that class in high school -- you better be prepared.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
I suggest having a group of friends, even just 3 or 4, who are also student teaching, and going out for dinner after seminar once every 2 or 3 weeks. It's even better if they aren't science teachers -- you can have friends in science teachers too, but you see them all the time. If you have some cohorts who are teaching different subjects, at different schools, you all can take a minute to unload on each other, share funny/sad/maddening stories and get encouragement from one another. It helps you see that the students really are giving all their teachers hell at times, not just you, not just science. It helps you see the bigger picture as well as what they may be learning in other classes that you can use in your class (I really have done this at times). And most of all it gives you some time to connect with friends and just have fun, something there is never enough time for during student teaching.
If it ever gets too hard, don't hesitate to have a heart to heart talk with your CT and ask for help, or Dr. Fogleman, or another teacher who can give you ideas. They all really do want you to do well and succeed. Don't wait until you hate everyone and they hate you right back, it's too late then! And if you have an especially rough day, or if the students are being especially difficult, remember it's just 1 day, and you can always try again tomorrow, and your CT can always suggest ways to get students to give you their best, whether a new seating arrangement, phrasing questions differently, or taking a break to do a completely different activity for a day.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Develop a strong relationship with your CT. Make sure that you know how they handle problems with students so you can be on the same page as your CT, and know what the school policy is. Ask lots of questions. Teachers are busy and can seem unapproachable, but if you ask questions they will give you answers
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Unit plan, practice forming the good questions you need to ask. It is hard to come up with higher level questions on the spot. When writing your unit plan keep in mind that the lessons need to flow together and build upon one another, ask your CT for advice. Practice judging timing through your lesson plan writing, ask your CT for advice again here. Later you can see how it works out in real practice. Everything takes longer than you think. If you ask your CT for advice you may have less work to do for your unit plan ; ).
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...." paid more attention to classroom management strategies. Every little thing that they do from how they stand, the pacing of the lesson, the classroom environment can all be important in classroom management. If you can't manage your classroom effectively than you will not be able to accomplish anything. Engaging your students is still considered classroom management. Take notes of tricks that you notice your teacher doing, and also ask their opinion about your lesson. Sometimes the smallest thing that they say can make the whole lesson run smoothly.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Remember that you are a new teacher. You need to reflect on what you do often, but take it easy on yourself. You are a student teacher so you can learn.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Get out to the schools as much as you can. This will help you develop a relationship between you and the students and also between you and your CT. Stay on top of all of your work both for your classes and for your placement. Also be on time, always follow thru with what you say you are going to do and ask as many questions as you can. The more you know your CT and your students the better it will be when you begin student teaching.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The unit plan I feel is one of the most important assignments in 430 because if you are able to do it on what you will be teaching it gives you a head start in terms of planning. You also get the chance to share your ideas with your CT and get their feedback as well.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Spent more time getting organized and better managed my time.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Find a morning routine that works for you and stick to it. Organization can either cause you stress or take it away, be organized.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
To make student teaching go more smoothly I would find out in the fall an overview of all the units your CT anticipates you will be teaching. Then I would get an idea of some activities and lab's you could use for each topic. Making notes and tests and things is less time consuming and can be done easier while your student teaching than planning elaborate labs. I found that I had the best activities for the unit I made my unit plan for but only because of the time I spent finding good activities. I also found that any notes or tests you make before you really know your students will probably have to be adjusted anyway.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
In order to prepare for student teaching in EDC 430 I would make sure to spend a lot of time on my unit plan as well as looking at some of the other units your CT anticipates you will be teaching.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
I think one thing that helped me alot for student teaching was spending as much time as possible in the classroom during fall semester. This allows you to get to know your students as much as possible before you begin teaching them. It also allows the students to get to know you which helps alot with the transition from their regular teacher to you. This helps a lot because if the students see you alot (go to after school activities to!) because then they know you care and you will be less likely to have classroom management problems.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Form a good relationship with your CT in the fall. My CT and I got along great but I heard from others that they did not get along with their CT and that it made student teaching very difficult.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Go as much as you can because the more you get adjusted to the daily schedule, daily procedures within the school, and more importantly you will strengthen your relationships with your cooperating teacher and students. The more everyone within the school gets familiar with you, the more comfortable you will be with everyone. When attending your schools as much as possible, you get to see the style of teaching that your cooperating teacher uses within their classrooms and the style of teaching that your future students are use to and are comfortable with during their school days. I would also suggest that students teach lessons within the fall in order to get experience with their specific classes. When teaching a lesson in the fall, you can get tips from your cooperating teacher that will help you in the spring. Teaching these lessons will also give you experience when planning class days and managing activities that fit for a particular curriculum.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Topics include the planning process, safety within a classroom, as well as engagement with your students. The planning process is vital in the spring, so any experiences you can get in the fall leading up to student teaching will be a great help. With the planning process, organization and time management are also important factors that help develop lessons and create supplemental materials. The unit plan is also a great help because the more effort and time that is put into this project in the fall, the more realistic it is to use these materials in the spring. Safety is also an important topic because when planning laboratory activities, keeping in mind what safety precautions that need to be addressed in order for students to be in a safe environment will in the management of behavior that may arise.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
If I had known more information about some of the inclusion classes within my class schedule, specifically with IEP accommodations and modifications, it would have helped prepare for when planning lessons.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Have the mindset of always getting better every day. Be humble and have fun.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
In the fall semester try to spend AS MUCH time as possible in your given placement. Get to know your cooperating teachers! Spend time after school talking with them and learning about their teaching philosophies and their "style". Talk with them about what they expect from you and what the student teaching experience will look like. Be open about all of these things and establish a plan. Also, get to know the students in the fall. They love it when you learn their names really quickly. You can develop personal bonds with them in your practicum that will make you job much easier in the spring. If they like you and respect you BEFORE you start student teaching than you are starting 5 steps in front of everyone else.
If possible, also ask your CT about where in the book they think they will be come February. If you have time, start planning! Start thinking about lessons and mini-labs, start preparing notes and/or powerpoints. This will definitely help you when you start student teaching because you won't need to reinvent the wheel every night before class. These suggestions will help make student teaching a little less stressful and more enjoyable.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Definitely spend a lot of time on your unit plan. This assignment definitely helps you learn about what it takes to put together a "unit". You will need to make many of these during your student teaching experience and with experience they get easier and easier. I would also put a lot of effort into developing your teaching philosophy. Its good to just sit back for a moment and think about what "type" of teacher you want to be and how you want to run your classroom. With a firm grasp of who you are as a teacher it will be easier to manage your classrooms in the spring.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
I would have prepared notes/powerpoints for the chapters that I would be covering during student teaching. Therefore, I would have had these completed before even starting student teaching. This would have alleviated a big task from my to do list and I could have concentrated more on developing effective and engaging lessons and mini labs.
I would also have decided to not have 3 different preps. I taught 4 classes (3 different subjects) and thus had to prepare three different setps of things. With classes at URI and work on the weekends this was a heavy load throughout the semester. I think 4 classes with 2 preps or 3 classes with 2 preps would be a good/ manageable amount.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Student teaching is a great experience that you will never forget! Enjoy it! Take the opportunity to grow as a teacher and learn from the more experienced teachers around you. Try out new strategies and reflect upon whether or not they work. Don't be afraid to take chances! This is the perfect time for you to experiment and figure out what works for you!
Also, don't be afraid to ask your CT for help! They are there for you and want to help you. If you are feeling burnt out and stressed ask them if they have plans that you can use. They are more than willing to help out.
Finally, make sure that everyone you meet and everyone you associate with at your student teaching placement (including your CT, students, administrators, janitors, etc) have a possible feeling about you. If everything goes well, your placement could end up being your place of future employment. If everyone is impressed with you it will be much easier for you to get a job there than for you to get a job elsewhere.
Good luck!
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
There are many things that I wish I knew to "smooth" out my student teaching, but the most easily achieved in the fall is to know the building. Know the layout. Where are stairs located, the cafeteria, guidance, the main office, the nurse and both student and staff bathrooms. I was not familiar with the building until my second month teaching, which is one of my regrets. I would also suggest knowing about the school policies concerning detentions, lateness, maximum number of abscences, etc. BEFORE the students ask. My CT was very well versed in what to do if students were late so I did not have an issue with this, but when students ask about a policy and you have to ask your CT you end up looking like you will never enforce consequences and they will be left to the CT.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
I think that classroom observations about the CT and their behavior were the most beneficial. At the beginning of the semester I followed the classroom management strategies of my CT, without being a "clone", and the students responded extremely well. I gradually added in more of my own behaviors as I saw necessary, but being able to keep the structure of the classroom since September was helpful for me and the students. I also think this is going to help my CT when I leave so she is not left with a classroom that needs to start re-learning her classroom style.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
...kept on top of my organization. I am still trying to figure out the folders that contain my copies, copies going to the CT, answer keys, extra handouts for students, etc. This can get very confusing...especially with more than one prep. Don't be shy to ask your CT if there is a place for you to store any documents. I spent about two or three weeks hauling everything with me because I did not want to intrude on her classroom. This was a huge pain...pun intended.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Don't be afraid to try things out! I have tried many things in my class, both that have worked and failed miserably, and do not regret any of it. I was able to test labs that I thought were great and learn how to recover when a lesson turns into a class of 25 blank stares. The most important thing is to make sure your CT is agreeing with you. I am completely for trying new ideas with classes...but not if my CT said no. Trust the judgement of your CT and always ask advice. My CT has years of experience both as a classroom teacher and as a CT, which was helpful for me in both regards. I was able to ask advice on teaching the students and on the mistakes and achievements of former student teachers. A CT is your best resource in student teaching and I hope that everyone reading this maintains as good of a relationship with theirs as I was able to create with mine.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
When you go to your placement in the fall, do not do what you may have done in 415 or 430 and just sit back and watch. You wont learn much. try to get your CT's lessons and try and teach one or two yourself, it will be a bit harder than it looks. Watch your teacher the first time and teach the second. You really need to actually try it before you will really know how to plan it. Also, find out what you will be teaching before winter break. You don't need to make lesson plans, but gather as many resources, worksheets, readings, etc. It was a real pain trying to find everything in crunch time.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
Unit plan assignment. I must have looked back at my own unit plan as well as others 1000 times. If you do it well your class mates do it well you may have very little to plan. (It's all posted up on the wiki so why not use it?)
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Again collecting materials. I really didn't realize how annoying and time consuming making a simple punnett square worksheet could be. Even if you make one once a week, you will be so happy when it's time to use it. Also read as much as you can about your topics. It stinks when you walk in half way through a topic in a class of honors students and they know more then you do becuase you haven't thought about evolution since BIO 101.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Give someone detention after a week, in the nicest most resonable way you can because they need to believe you can do it. If it is classroom managment your worried about, you wont have to after being the jerk. Personally, I am always very lienant, Its just my personality but as they slowly make their way back to talkers I give one more detention and boom no more disuptions for weeks. (This is a middle school strategy I used. Detentions were lunch detentions eating lunch with me and it took no extra time off me or a administrator, so everyone but the student is happy.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Practice lessons at home. Complete a "teacher's copy" of any lesson that you plan to give. This helps you identify any typos or misconceptions that students might uncover throughout the lesson. It also gives you a grid to follow when grading student work.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
The format of developing lesson plans. Although I was always against the idea of using them, I realized that they are super helpful in time management. Typed out lesson plans give you the opportunity ensure that you "cover-all-the-bases". It also gives your the opportunity to list all of the possible materials and modifications that you may need to make for different classes.
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Practiced lesson plans at home before I conducted them. I would have been much more savvy in the area of time management.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Try not to stress too much. You CAN do this. Keep a level head and never be afraid to reach out for advice or criticism BEFORE you give a lesson. Remember that you are a student teacher. No one expects you to be amazing at this right away.
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
Continue to go to your placement after the semester is over. Don't disappear after the last day of URI classes in december. Go to your placement at least weekly if not more until you start your student teaching. It will create a good impression and the students will know you better and be used to seeing you
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
None, just make sure to do them all
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
Planned better. It is so important to plan your lessons a week or two ahead of time. I know it sounds ridiculous but if you have your two week outline your will you will be golden. This saved me during a critical point in my student teaching experience. My CT had a death in the family and was out for two weeks. Fortunately we had planned out two weeks ahead of time. It made the two weeks go smoothly and allowed me to adjust daily without feeling overwhelmed. As long as you keep with it and stay a head of the game you will love your student teaching experience. This is also why you should go to your placement up until the week you start. This way you will know exactly what is going on.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
Even if you get a placement your are not crazy about or a CT you don't love, look at it as a challenge and not a road block. Keeping a positive attitude will help you get through this experience with grace and ease.
Wisdom from 2013
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
- Go to your CT's classroom as often as you can in the Fall.
- Get to know your CT's style of teaching. Find out how much liberty you will have with creating and implementing lessons.
- Find out what your CT will expect from you as their student teacher.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
- Known more tricks of the trade. Learn different methods of introducing topics and creating activities. If you have good CT's, you will learn lots from them. Go to their classrooms early in the fall and go often.
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?e. Make sure Dr. Fogleman teaches you ...
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
- HAVE A PLAN
- ORGANIZATION
- MAKE CONNECTIONS
You can't plan to teach a lesson without seeing the big picture of what is involved in your unit plan. Take main Concepts and branch out. Help yourself see the big picture. If you can't see it or have trouble seeing it, your students will have trouble too.Once you develop a plan, get organized. Break each concept into chunks that address learning objectives. Design your lessons based on these learning objectives. Once you know what the learning goals are, you can develop activities/lessons that address such concepts to be learned. Once your activities and lessons are in place, make a schedule...a realistic one. One that allows for flexibility and change. This will alleviate stress for you because you will be sure to come across schedule changes in the school and classroom.
Making connections to students is a big part of them understanding science and especially the world around them. I found that linking each lesson with the previous one gave students a better understanding of what we were actually doing. This helped paint the big picture for them.
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
e. Make sure Dr. Fogleman teaches you to...
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
e. Make sure Dr. Fogleman teaches you to...
- Smile, it never goes unnoticed.
- Care about your presentation - sloppy teachers have a more difficult time gaining respect.
- Write your schedule on the board, but leave a mystery in the message - it will keep the guessing and interested in what's next.
- Engage in their worlds - school is never the only thing on their plate.
- Emphasize the fact that you are still learning - students appreciate when someone can admit their faults or shortcomings. You're not perfect, don't pretend you are.
- Put your school stuff in your backpack and don't touch it when you leave on Friday - your time is important.
- GO ON FIELD TRIPS IF YOU CAN. Period.
- Be open to communication, always.
- Be yourself - not your CTs.
- Communicate with your CTs often.
- Observe as much as you can, whenever you can.
- Take constructive feedback - it's not criticism, everyone is on your side and wants you to succeed.
- Go to bed before 10:30 & pick your outfit out the night before - the wardrobe and dressing like a teacher can be a challenge sometimes. Make it easy for yourself!
- Pack a lunch you can look forward to; it makes the day so much better when you have a good, satisfying lunch.
- Check your e-mail... a lot.
- Speak their language - if your young, don't hide it. Kids like knowing you're human.
- Stay mostly on top of your planning & grade quickly.
- BRING IN FOOD. Always a highlight and a way to get students engaged.
- Find your time or space - a way to stay centered, calm and healthy.
- Make yourself proud & don't quit.
:)
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
e. Make sure Dr. Fogleman teaches you to...
a. What are some things students should do in their fall practicum to make their student teaching go more smoothly?
b. What 430 topics/assignments should students make sure are addressed in detail to prepare them for student teaching?
c. Help the next group of science education student teachers by completing the thought: "If I knew in September what I know now, I could have been better prepared for student teaching if I had ...."
d. Are there other words of wisdom/encouragement that you want to share?
e. Make sure Dr. Fogleman teaches you to...